Near the central concourses at YUL, Virgin Books & Music is the classic “I forgot something” stop. The store sits past security in the main departures area, handy if you’re killing 30–40 minutes before boarding and want something better than scrolling your phone. You’ll see the trademark red Virgin branding from a distance, which helps when your gate changes at the last minute.
Inside, you get books, magazines, and media under one roof, which is rarer now that many airports split everything across 2–3 kiosks. Expect current bestsellers up front and smaller French and English sections tucked toward the side walls. Prices run a few dollars above downtown Montréal, standard airport markup, but paperback novels and puzzle books still land well under CAD 25.
Music and media lean on mainstream picks rather than deep cuts. You’ll find chart albums, travel-friendly headphones, and some last-minute tech accessories in the CAD 20–60 range. It’s good enough for a replacement pair of earbuds before a 5-hour transcon, but not the place for specialty audiophile gear or rare vinyl hunts.
If you’re short on time, use the front tables and racks near the entrance: that’s where new releases and quick “plane read” options live, so you can be in and out in under 5 minutes without wandering the aisles.