Zoinks Music & Books

I always forget about this subtle little used media shop, especially since moving from west of the Don to east of the Don.
I used to stop in occasionally, usually for CDs. I recall finding something about 75% of the time. No huge scores here – nothing super rare or special.
Prices are good.
Vibe is nice! This is a totally chill store. You are just left alone to browse, you are not jockeying for space and there is something interesting and non aggressive being played.
Note to self: next time I’m in the area, pop in. Recommended, especially if you are out and about Bloor West on a weekend afternoon!
****Update from July 2015***
Looks like they no longer sell CDs. But they still have a great selection of used vinyl and books. Last weekend I spotted Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair in amazing condition for $ 12 and wished I had a record player.

The only thing that I’d want to change about Zoinks would be to make it bigger, but if it were a huge behemoth of a store, maybe it wouldn’t be Zoinks any more. This little store still has a lot to offer, from books and CDs to DVDs and more.
Looking for a specific title, unless a spectacularly popular one, might present a bit of a challenge, with only a couple of hundred square feet of space inside you might do better just browsing until you hit something that strikes your fancy. The store often has a box of free or extremely cheap books on the floor which they just want to be rid of.
The staff here will leave you to your own devices if you want to browse silently at your own pace, but if you come in chatting with a friend or just in a friendly mood they will generally engage you and maybe point out something worthwhile on offer in the store. Your local little bookstore may not have the selection of Chapters, but you can definitely afford to step inside and make an affordable used purchase or two.

Ever tire of walking into Indigo or Chapters trying to find a rare author or out of print volume and the vest laden staff stares at you blankly? I know I am… There is something about these big-​box book stores that seems appealing; lots of books, lots of genres and cute little knick knacks of all kinds! But, for the price of glam, what is often lost is that personable, well read book worm behind the counter who knows all the obscure titles, and is great at recommending them too…
Zoinks Music & Books is amongst many of its kind in downtown Toronto. Small, quaint and chock-​full of low-​priced, used books, the staff is friendly AND knowledgeable. Great thing about Zoinks is you can buy, sell, and trade both books and music, including cds and vinyls. It’s not pretty, but it doesn’t need to be. It has the feeling of a small library and is equally great for students trying to find cheap literature. (Take it from an ex-​English major; it is NOT worth buying the newest publication of any book; always go with used; the nostalgia alone will make up for it!)