Thistle Bookshop & Café

Thistle Bookshop and Cafe is your independent bookstore and cafe located in Port Dalhousie (St.Catharines) Ontario, Canada. Thistle Bookshop and Cafe stocks an exciting and specially curated selection of books including fiction, non-fiction, children’s, local interests, and local art. The store also boasts a celtic and ancestry section. We believe that all “Stories Matter” and appreciate the impact that stories – whether in print or not – have in shaping a person, a culture and our community. With our cafe, we hope to inspire story telling by creating a community of coffee, tea and book lovers.

What’s with the name? Thistle, a Scottish symbol of freedom, is a nod to the celtic history of our heritage town of Port Dalhousie, where the shop is located on the banks of Lake Ontario and the old canals. Many of the local residents were and are of Scottish descent. Owned by a family with roots in the City as well as ancestral ties to Scotland with family coming from Edinburgh and Glasgow. If you want to sound like a local, pronounce the town as Port “Dal Hoo zie” – legend has it that it became customary to pronouce our name this way as a result of local scots pronunciation.

The Thistle also represents a place of culture where those that have a love of history, literature, learning, music and art can come together. The store is a great spot for locals and visitors of all ages.
We also aim to provide a venue for writers to connect with readers through events.

We are more than a bookstore. We’re a café and meeting place for those seeking a special spot to grab a coffee and browse our selection for a great book.
We’d love to be your indie bookstore, whether you live in Niagara, you’re just passing through, or want to stay in touch. Please stay and click around, and do come visit as we’d like to welcome you to our wee little shop. Aye, haste ye back!