SCPL Reads: Books as stores in the Niagara Pen Centre

By St. Catharines Public Library - Mar 02, 2026

Reading lists

Did you know that the Merritt Branch is now located at the Niagara Pen Centre? We couldn't help but search through our collection to find the perfect book pairings for some popular shops in the mall.

The Namaste Club

Asha Elias

The Namaste Club is a place of reflection, a place of release and redemption...or at least, that's the sales pitch. A new bunch of South Florida burnouts have arrived at the Namaste Club yoga center only for one of these over-the-top characters to end up in the jaws of Bubba, the retreat center's resident twelve-foot American alligator. Who will it be? There's only one way to find out!

Store Pairing: Lululemon

The women attending the Namaste Club wouldn't be caught dead in last season's fashion. Nope - they are always clad in the latest Lululemon yoga leggings, trendiest sports bras, and sleek headbands with a Lululemon yoga mat tucked under their arms.

Borrow The Namaste Club

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

Dawnie Walton

It's the 1970's and up-and-coming rockstar Opal, of musical duo Opal and Nev, uses her newfound fame and influence to challenge other artists who are promoting racism and hate, only for her career to take a major hit. Decades later, as Opal considers a 2016 reunion with Nev, music journalist S. Sunny Shelton seizes the chance to curate an oral history about her idols. Sunny thought she knew most of the stories leading up to the cult duo's most politicized chapter. But as her interviews dig deeper, a nasty new allegation from an unexpected source threatens to blow up everything.

Store Pairing: Sunrise Records

Rock and roll is the name of the game in The Final Revival of Opal & Nev and there is no better place to discover the moving power of music than your local record store.

Borrow The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Ann Brashares

Some friends just fit together. Once there was a pair of pants. Just an ordinary pair of jeans. But these pants, the Traveling Pants, went on to do great things. This is the story of the four friends-Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen-who made it possible. Pants = love. Love your pals. Love yourself.

Store Pairing: Claire's

Just like Claire's, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a tribute to cherished teenage friendships - the ones that change and grow with you through all of life's milestones: first crushes, first adventures, and first ear piercings.

Borrow The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Meet Me at the Lake

Carley Fortune

At thirty-two, Fern's life doesn't look at all how she once imagined it would. Instead of living in the city, Fern's back home, running her mother's Muskoka lakeside resort - something she vowed never to do. The place is in disarray, her ex-boyfriend's the manager, and Fern doesn't know where to begin...

Store Pairing: Northern Reflection

The universal uniform of Canadian cottage country is the soft pastels, rich earth tones, and cozy fabrics that are a staple at Northern Reflections. So, pull on a comfortable fleece and cuddle up with this quintessential Canadian romance.

Borrow Meet Me at the Lake

Girl Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides

Natalie Porter

With enthusiasm and empathy, Girl Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides celebrates the relentless participation of women in skateboarding from the 1960s onward who defied a hostile industry to carve out their own space through underground networks.

Store Pairing: Arlies (AKA Boathouse)

Catering to outdoor thrill-seekers and sports enthusiasts alike, the Arlies', renamed as Boathouse in other locations, flagship store is located in the Niagara Pen Centre. Born in St. Catharines in 1968, Arlies' skater-chic style and trendy shoe options would have been a familiar go-to look for many of the skaters interviewed in Natalie Porter's book.

Borrow Girl Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides

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