Otter Books Inc

Excellent selection of great reads. Helpful and very knowledgeable staff. Lucky to have such a great book shop in town

Very helpful and knowledgeable staff with a really amazing collection of books! If they don’t have what I’m looking for they already have it on order. Very cooperative and quick to provide solutions! I’m really grateful Nelson has such an amazing book store here. I prefer ordering from them then ordering online because I’d rather support their business and this gives me a chance to check them out before buying. Thank you so much for all that you do for our community!

As a librarian working in a library up from Otter Books, I recognize the importance of an excellent local indie book store to complement and enhance our collections and understand that together we are creating avid readers in the city of Nelson. Please continue being safe as the locals are grateful (and naysayers, joking or not, are missing out).

Love this place! The people that work there are so friendly, helpful and sweet!🤗

Had just come from the bakery where I washed my hands immediately before leaving. I good naturedly whined about having to sanitize my hands as we entered. The librarians basically kicked me out. Find a sense of humour! Aug 24 Update: I just received a private message from Christine W, who identified herself as a _former employee and local librarian_. The thing I struggled with was the same tone another (male) reviewer has noted, and that is condescension by the staff. I did in fact sanitize my hands, but the tone of the shop clerk standing nearest me was so snarky, it was as if she took personal pleasure in telling me to leave. It's all about professionalism, or its lack, further reflected in the "sorry not sorry" response below. Consider looking at this. As far as the private message, vigilante flaming, I received from Christine W, she sought me out on social media, creeped my profile, and let it fly. From my short review above, she said she knows "people like" me. "People like me" think I'm special. No, she says, the truly special ones are the people of Nelson, not "people like" me. Aside from the obvious problems when you start assigning to individuals assumptions about a group (this Nelson resident is not alone in this -- it's everywhere and a real problem), it speaks to larger issues of privilege and entitlement. It makes me wonder who are the "people like me." Unless she is Indigenous, the vigilante flamer is a settler "like me," and has no right to claim special privilege (although it certainly doesn't stop us). What I didn't get then, later in the review response (below), or today with the Otter's vigilante hate mail, was "Thanks for the feedback. We'll give it consideration and we hope your next visit to our bookstore is better." It costs nothing to acknowledge and validate criticism, especially in business. We don't even have to agree with it. When people feel heard, they come together. They find common ground. And in these times of division, qualities like humility, equality, and generosity of spirit are sought after more than ever. How telling that Christine W would follow up with rave review about Otter. LOL. Peace.