Londoners who recall the McCormick Factory on Dundas Street should take the time one weekend to check out the newest addition to the area, Clockwork Books, which officially opened its doors in mid-November.

Opened by Michael Kuiack and his wife, the bookstore plans to offer pieces of all sorts, mostly hardcover fiction, for small change and intends to stimulate reading by removing the burden of price tags.

Sitting down at the Third Street Tim Hortons, Kuiack and I had a coffee together while throwing back and forth the things that we are passionate about. Kuiack believes that the rise of eBook readers is something that has removed a piece of what he enjoys most about literature — the physical medium. He firmly stated that he will never buy an eBook reader because he “likes the feel of the paper. The smell, the dust.” Such interest in physical copies of works I compared to equally as passionate record collectors who prefer to buy vinyls over digital and CD releases. He said he hopes to translate this feeling in his shop and give patrons the chance to enjoy his collections.

To get people motivated to read, Kuiack specifically wants to target the younger audiences. “We want to give every [person who comes in for the first time] a free book.” That's fine, you may say, but now what of his profits? Well, Kuiack is very adamant of keeping this purely as a hobby. His day job is there to support him and his family, while this store is something he wants to do simply for his love of reading. It's one of the reasons why he isn't staying open all week.

Kuiack mentioned how some of his more business-orientated friends suggested ideas for expansion and retaining profits but was clear that he has no interest in doing either of those things.

I enjoy frequenting bookstores. London is home to many great ones, and this addition is doing nothing but improving the city's reputation in that field.

I think reading is extremely important for communities as it stimulates discussion and wraps us in a bundle of our own imagination. The unique aspect of Clockwork Books being a bookstore for the collectors and the avid readers who want to exchange books for coins and not debit, hopefully has some long-reaching effects on the community. In fact, the idea for buying a spot in front of the McCormick factory is specifically because that property is soon to be demolished and turned into a health centre.

With passion fuelling his hobby, Kuiack's plans for accessibility in literature should prove to offer new opportunities for young and old readers to exchange books at a quicker rate. It's an opportunity that you can't afford to miss.