On Wednesday, October 30th, co-founder Patrick Bolen of Bolen Books, passed away at the age of 81.
This beloved bookstore was originally opened in 1975 with his then-wife, Madeline (Mel) Bolen. A couple of years later, in 1977, he left to open a bookstore in Calgary, and Madeline took over operations for decades after.
Eventually, he moved back to the island, first settling in Courtenay and then returned to Victoria in 2015 to be closer to his children.
The store is now run by their daughter, Samantha Holmes, and granddaughter, Madeline Holmes.
His obituary, released by McCall Gardens, states that he’ll be remembered as a Saskatchewan-born animal, nature and whiskey lover who was quick to tell a joke and share his passion for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“He will be missed by his daughter Samantha (Ron), son Timothy, granddaughter Madeline (Ben) and great granddaughter Willa as well as his many friends and relatives,” his obituary reads.
“There will be no service by request but there were two things Pat loved that he hoped you will support in his honour: a local pet shelter or a local bookstore.”
Since Bolen Books first opened their doors, they’ve grown to nearly 20,000 square feet and is the largest single-location independent bookstore in Western Canada.
Not only do they have large sections dedicated to book genres like fiction, children’s books, cooking, poetry, traveling and more, they also boast one of Victoria’s most popular selection of puzzles and board games.
They regularly host author readings and book signings, bringing in names such as Heather O’Neill, Geddy Lee of RUSH, Salman Rushdie, Rupi Kaur and many others.
Be sure to stop by Bolen Books and have a wander around and soak in their continuing legacy.
This post was originally published on here
