Frequently Asked Questions

Do you buy used books?

We sure do! Please see our buying guidelines here.

Can I order a new book if you don't have it in stock?

You sure can. Send us an email, or visit us in person, and let us know what you're looking for. We can bring in most titles that are currently in print, though the time frame can vary quite a bit—please let us know up front if you need your book by a particular date.

Is there parking at your store?

Yep. Porch Light customers can use the parking lot on the east side of our building. There is also free street parking along 89 Avenue.

How do I get there on public transit?

The #523 bus runs up and down 99 Street. The closest bus stop (#2829) is on the northeast corner of 99 Street and 89 Avenue, directly in front of the Colombian coffee shop and a stone's throw from our front door.

Do you have a public bathroom?

Alas, no.

Are you hiring?

Alas, again, no.

Who drew your logo?

Our logo—indeed, all of our branding—was done by Kelly Mellings at Pulp Studios, based off of a concept by Kate Gutteridge.

What does the store's name mean?

Porch Light is named after a piece of local history, which we first read about in Tony Cashman's Best Edmonton Stories (Hurtig, 1976).

From 1912 to 1947, there was a streetcar line that ran from Whyte Avenue/104 Street down to 76 Avenue/118 Street. At the time, this was an odd route, since few people lived in what is now Belgravia. The area was mostly a forest, with a few scattered houses owned by professors at the university. The main reason the line was installed was to service daytrips down to what was then McKernan Lake.

This streetcar—nicknamed the "Toonerville Trolley," after a popular comic strip—lost money pretty much every year it was in operation. But the real quirk of its design was that there was no end to the track: it just kind of ran out. And those woods got awfully dark at night.

Cashman writes:

As a safety check, Mr. Owen, who had a house a half-block from the end of the line, would leave his porch light burning after dark, and when the car bucketed past the porch light the motorman would shut off the power and glide to a stop. One night, however, Mr. Owen went to bed and turned the light off. The Toonerville raced right off the end of the line at full throttle and crashed to a stop thirty feet beyond in the bush. A crew from the barns was engaged all the next morning, hauling it back to its track with a block and tackle.

Porch Light Books aims to carry on in this spirit, illuminating the darkness and minimizing railway mishaps for years to come.