Why it belongs in ORBIS
The Next Page is an independent bookstore and coffee shop on Calgary's historic Inglewood main street. It pairs a curated book selection with in-house coffee along a historic commercial strip.
The Next Page occupies a bay in the Burn Block, a heritage building constructed in 1912 on 9 Avenue SE in Inglewood, Calgary's oldest commercial strip. Co-owners Jeremy and Richard spent three months hand-picking every title they wanted to stock while they waited for the right space to open up; when a bay in the Burn Block became available, they signed the lease the next day. The store keeps new and remainder books on the main floor, with a basement level given over to used books, alongside an espresso bar and tea shop. Floor-to-ceiling windows and shelves with sliding ladders, vintage furnishings and wooden floors carry the building's original character. The shop is locally owned and dog-friendly, offers free book deliveries and special orders, and hosts regular events. It also makes a point of stocking and displaying titles by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors. The Next Page has a sister store, Pages Books on Kensington, elsewhere in Calgary. Its stated motto: "Long live the book."