Vancouver's Broadway subway project is now under construction, and businesses along the street are hoping they can survive the construction in front of their stores and restaurants to reap the benefits of the transit line's completion.
(l-r) Nicki Breuer and Catherine Ellsmere
Thirty years ago, when Catherine Ellsmere and Nicki Breuer co-founded Odin Books in Vancouver, the idea of a mental-health bookstore was considered provocative. âThe Scientologists werenât that happy with us,â Ellsmere says, recalling arguments with customers who demanded she stock L. Ron Hubbardâs
Dianetics. âWe are very clear that we have evidence-based resources in our store.â
Though the culture has largely realized the importance of psychological wellness, Odin Books is still one of the only bookstores in Canada focused on normalizing conversations around mental health. With the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating a broad range of mental-health issues, Ellsmere has found a new clientele that is grappling with such dilemmas for the first time. She spoke to