The Penny University Bookstore
2127 Albert Street S4P2V1 Regina, SK, Canada

Extra bookish love (and hot coffee) for anyone who makes it downtown to visit us today! That was dramatic!!

Hey everyone! We have readjusted our local author cubbies and have space for more! If you or someone you know is interested in selling books in our store, let us know. We want to promote our local writers . . .... #thepennyuniversity #localbookstore #supportlocal #yqrlocal #independentbookstore #supportindependentbusiness #bookstoresofinstagram #bookstagram #reginask #reginasaskatchewan #yqr #yqrsmallbusinesses #indiebookstore #localauthors #localwriters #saskauthor #saskwriters See more

Celebrate Indigenous authors! We have a display at the front of our store with all kinds of booksfiction, biographical, adolescent and moreall written by Indigenous authors. This weekend, we’ll be placing an order for more Braiding Sweetgrass and Son of a Trickster too! Let us know if you’ve read any of these! . .... . See more

Look what we have in-stock! Has anyone else watched Queen’s Gambit? As someone who plays chess myself, I thought it was so well done . .

We have a little blackout poetry setup! If you’re interested in trying it out or want to drop off your own to add to our collection, please feel free to! We love seeing your creations! . . . #thepennyuniversity #localbookstore #supportlocal #yqrlocal #independentbookstore #supportindependentbusiness #bookstoresofinstagram #bookstagram #reginask #reginasaskatchewan #yqr #yqrsmallbusinesses #indiebookstore #blackoutpoetry #blackoutpoetrycommunity

Big thanks to CTV for inviting us to join their live news segments this morning! We’re endlessly grateful for the support Regina has been giving us! @ctvreginalive @ctvregina . .... . #thepennyuniversity #localbookstore #supportlocal #yqrlocal #independentbookstore #supportindependentbusiness #bookstoresofinstagram #bookstagram #reginask #reginasaskatchewan #yqr #yqrsmallbusinesses #ctvregina #ctv See more

This week, we have a new window display of beach reads! We figured, because the weather has been miserable and covid has been preventing travel, we’d gather some light-hearted, escapism-type novels. There’s a little bit of romance, young adult and jocund fiction! . . .... #thepennyuniversity #localbookstore #supportlocal #yqrlocal #independentbookstore #supportindependentbusiness #bookstoresofinstagram #bookstagram #reginask #reginasaskatchewan #yqr #yqrsmallbusinesses #beachreads #travelreads

Yesterday, while visiting the wonderful Penny University Bookstore, something magical happened! Fatima and I came across a gift from a book fairy! Inside, we fo...und a lovely note from our book fairy Dixie Eqerickx. Thank you! #secretbookfairies #ibelieveinbookfairies #bookfairiessaskatchewan #bookfairiescanada #bookfound See more

Practical and SPARKLY, what's not to love?

Always humbling when a Lord of Sceptre takes time out of his jam packed schedule to attend a reading. Thank you, Legbo and The Penny University Bookstore.

We are so grateful to everyone who's been supporting us these past couple of months and ordering books! We’re getting to the point, however, where keeping track of our orders is becoming increasingly difficult. We’ve been taking orders by email, phone and direct messaging through Instagram and Facebook but going forward, we ask that you only call or email us at [email protected] Please refrain from direct messaging as we may lose your request. If you have any questions, please comment them! Thanks again!

Today is Wood Dragon book's Fall Launch, and we have two local authors, @ulrichmaureen and @mariepowellauthor reading from their YA books! Come by, listen to a story and grab a signed copy! Thanks to @martinsonjeanne and the Writers Guild of Canada for arranging this event! #localauthors #localpublishers #readsask #books #ya #indiebookstore

See you this afternoon!

This is happening this weekend! Online only for now, be sure to tune in!

Great opportunity for young writers!

Carla is going online! Check out the event page for this Saturday 28th. We have plenty of copies of her book Turn On The Switch in store too.

#readlocal and grab some home grown goodies this week from our talented Saskatchewan Writers!

Tomorrow folks! Join us for Wood Dragon Books' fall book launch event, featuring Marie Powell and Maureen Ulrich! Listen to some stories, chat with the authors, have a coffee and pick up signed copies of their books. 2-4pm tomorrow. Please wear your masks in store!

Looking forward to our first event in store!

It's not long until our favourite time of year! Stocked up on some spooky-cute children's books!

Starting to get the back of the coffee bar sorted out. The bear is named Sanders and he is getting on for 35 years old. I told my daughter that I was a bit nervous about opening the store, and she brought my teddy in for me so I felt better! So now he is going take up residence in there.

Calling all book lovers! We're very proud to be an independently owned bookstore, and we aim to stock as big a range of new books as we can. However, we are far from the only independently owned book place in town. Check out our friends! Spafford Books deals in antiquarian, special interest and rare books, Aware House Books have got all things new-age, and Centennial Books and Quill and Ink Bookstore have got you covered for used books.

Et en Francais: Merci beaucoup Raphaele!

I have a feeling these boards are going to get sillier and sillier.

Did you know we have magazines to browse at the bookstore? My current favourite is @positivenewsuk - an entire magazine devoted to good news. Something we all need to absorb at the moment, I feel. Grab a coffee and have a read! #positivenews #magazines #bookstore #YQR

This morning Quill and Quire magazine interviewed me, and this afternoon they published this!

The sign is complete!! Thanks very much to @signtrek1 who battled Albert street parking restrictions, high winds and a decades old rusty bracket to get this thing up in the air safely! We are official!

Very happy to be stocking this! #Repost @ulrichmaureen #powerplaysthebook is now available @thepennyuniversity #jessiemachockeyseries #youngadult #girlshockeyrocks #bullyinghurts #Canadianlit #saskieland

Signage out the front is happening! #indiebookstore #subtlehints #signage #YQR #nowopen

Great article in the Leader Post!

I am exhausted!! Thank you for a phenomenal first day, #yqr!

Very nervous to post this, but...

More progress! #buildingaBookstore #indiebookstore #comingsoon #yqr #startuplife

It's independent bookstore day! It's been a long while since #YQR had an independent store for new books. We aim to change that! Look out for an exciting announcement coming VERY soon!

It's starting to look like a bookshop! @ The Penny University Bookstore

In case you needed a visual...

It begins!!! Progress from day 1 of Frantic Flatpack Fabrication. Thank you to Carl, @djtraumahawk @peachynm_ and to @xx.lemon___peep.xx for not moaning too loudly about having to sit there and watch us work. #buildingaBookstore #diy #renos #comingsoon #indiebookstore #yqr #startuplife @ The Penny University Bookstore

We got masks! Special masks for booklovers! $7 each, available from the bookstore very soon indeed! #masks #maskup #booklovers #indiebookstore #comingsoon @ The Penny University Bookstore

A rant for all you English students suffering out there...

It's never too late to start writing! I wanted to stock a good range of children's books at The Penny University, but I am also keen to support local authors as well. These books fulfill both criteria! Most interestingly, they are all written by talented women who have decided that their senior years are the best time to begin writing for children. ... Rachel Wyatt, a former Coteau Books author, is now "getting on for 91" and has produced three beautifully illustrated books for her great grandchildren, and a fourth book is underway as well. I have very limited quantities of 'Charlie and his New Friend', 'Lex and the Dinosaur' and 'One True Jackson' Jackie Arnason's book, Hambone, came out earlier this month, and she became a published author at the age of 87. Personally, I am very fond of pigs, and dill pickles, so I loved this book! Finally, although not aimed at children, The Grass People by Kay Parley began as an idea she had when she was just 5 years old in the 1920s. She finally saw her book in print when she turned 95 - thank you @radiantpress !

Tonight I had the pleasure of being invited to a book group, who had all read my book! First time I've ever done a "meet the author" type thing, and I was a little intimidated. But they were all lovely and asked about my coffee adventures more than they critiqued my writing style fortunately! My book is called "It Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time" and is all about coffee, small businesses and misadventures around the world. Available, ahem, from all good bookstores. And Am...azon. Thanks to @holtomwaddell for the invite! #itseemedlikeagoodideaatthetime #memoir #book #localauthors #readlocal #smallbiz

This place is going to be huge! Having spent all morning clearing it, I can't wait to fill it up again with books!

My sign arrived for the sanitizer station... There is no easy way to sterilize books, so The Penny University will have to rely on your common sense! We'll have a handwash station and sanitizer in the entrance. Please wash your hands before you touch the books. I am going to have to limit the number of people in the space a little too. And please, no book-sniffing. Thank you!

Author Cubbies! Are you a local author who would like to see your books on the shelves at The Penny University? Worried about commission fees? Then Author Cubbies are for you! Rent one of these cube-shelves, or part of one on a monthly basis, load it up with your books and keep ALL your sales money. (Cubbies are 12" x 12", and you can stock as many books as you can fit in your space)... Get in touch at [email protected] if interested!

I've started collecting books by local authors for the store! Clockwise from top left: The Shards of Excalibur series by @edwardwillettauthor, The Lily Nurse, rebooted/rebirthed and finding a new path by @thelilynurse, The Xeno Manifesto trilogy by @brysenmann and Cultivated Time by Rose Willow. <<>> If you'd like to stock your book at The Penny University, please get in touch! We can do consignment, but we also have Author Cubbies for rent - rent a whole or part of a cubby ...on a monthly basis, fill it with your books, and keep 100% of your sales money. ( The cubbies are filling up fast...) #localauthors #indiebookstore #readlocal #authorcubbies #writersofinstagram

And now we have 2/3rds of the coffee bar in! Had to test it of course (pourover and chemex coming later, hard labour requires the french press for now!) #bookstorecafe #coffeebar #startuplife #yqr #comingsoon

Tada! One down, 11 to go... Despite what the instructions would have me believe, no "rabbets" were harmed in the making of this chair. #diy #flatpackfurniture #coffeebar #bookstorecafe #comingsoon

We've been building things! And sorting things! And swearing at the instructions! And getting distracted by reading the books as we went... A productive day. Thanks to @djtraumahawk and @xx.lemon___peep.xx for the help.

A while ago someone requested the new Hilary Mantell book. The Search button on Facebook messenger is useless and I cannot find the original message! So, if it was you, please get in touch because the copies have now arrived!

Have you seen me pedalling about delivering the Books and Beans subscription packs? Most* are delivered by bike, and I have explored so many more parts of Regina in the last few months than I ever did in the eight years I've lived here pre-Covid! *Most meaning if you live east of Winnipeg St or if I have to cross the ring road, I mail it. Sorry! If I miss you, help me campaign for better bike infrastructure...... #booksbybike #yqr #deliveries #booksubscriptionbox #boxbike

The more that gets done in the building, the better the light seems to become. *Still* waiting on some work in there, but I am now feeling reassured and a lot calmer about the whole thing! Patience, dear book lovers. Progress is being made.... #bookstore #indiebookstore #comingsoon #patience #worththewait #yqr #startuplife