While film and television may dominate the city, Los Angeles is home to a thriving literary scene. Here are the bookstores in LA you shouldn’t miss, recommended by a native Angeleno.
My Saturn Return kicked my ass.
Like many twenty-eight-year-olds before me, I found myself lost. I forgot who I was; I forgot what I liked; I lost interest in nearly all of my previous hobbies and I lost the energy to pursue anything new. I clawed my way out of the house on weekends with a promise of a latte, a trip to the bookstore, a crisp, new paperback. It wasn’t much–but it didn’t need to be.
I’m grateful to these stores for being just enough to get me out of the house on Sunday mornings. I’m grateful for the hours spent wandering the shelves, thinking about literally anything other than my own twenty-eight-year-old problems.
And, of course, I’m grateful for the books.
So, if you’re in the city, here are my must-visit bookstores in LA
1)Octavia’s Bookshelf
The afternoon I visited Octavia’s Bookshelf, the store bustled with life: a vibrant stream of customers filled the space, happily browsing its shelves. In the few months since it opened its doors, it has become a pillar of community in Pasadena. This Black-owned business is a fabulous entry to city’s indie scene: with a focus on diverse authors, it curates a perfect blend of well-known titles and hidden gems alike.
Named after the renowned author Octavia Butler, Octavia’s Bookshelf is the first Black-owned bookstore in Pasadena–which also happens to be Butler’s own hometown. Owner Nikki High spent a decade imagining such a business before leaving her corporate job to follow her dream.
Tip: For the Octavia Butler buffs, the nearby Huntington Library has her journals, which can be viewed by the public. While you’re there, be sure to take a stroll through the expansive gardens. Bring some sunscreen and your camera!
2)North Figueroa Bookshop
Those looking for books about Los Angeles will find everything they’re looking for and more at North Figueroa Bookshop. This trendy new shop is situated in Highland Park, a comfortable walk to many of our favorite cafes and vintage shops.
Funded by publishers, this independent bookstore has a deep tie to local presses. LA-based Unnamed Press and Rare Bird Lit collaborated to build this project and in the process have created a space that is uniquely born from this city. In addition to its thorough section of California Lit, the store also has a well-curated range of fiction, non fiction and children’s titles. Unlike other bookstores, it spotlights publishers by featuring its shelves around individual presses.
Tip: For the LA tattoo lovers among us, check out Martlet Tattoo down the road—we’re both obsessed with artist Amelia Rose! For some of the best sandwiches in the city, head to nearby Maciel’s Plant Based Butcher, and get coffee at Kumquat!
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3)Skylight Books
Located in the heart of Los Feliz, Skylight is a staple of the neighborhood–a bright and welcoming space with the gravity of a small star. I find it almost impossible to be anywhere in a three-mile radius and not stop by for a quick visit.
With an event almost every night, it is a literary hub of the city. A few doors down is the Arts Annex, home to bursting shelves of graphic novels, scripts, coffee table books, and local zines.
We love Skylight for its strong sense of community, its well-curated literary fiction, and the beautiful tree in the center of the shop.
Tip: Skip the meters and park on the neighborhood side streets to the east of Vermont! Double check for street sweeping.
If you’re looking for a longer afternoon out, I recommend parking between Vermont and Hillhurst and visiting businesses on both streets. My favorites are Maru Coffee, The Alcove, Green Leaves Vegan, and Squaresville Vintage.
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4)Stories Books and Cafe
This bookstore-slash-coffee shop has an undeniably cool air. With trendy baristas, a wide selection of new-and-used titles, and hilarious Instagram presence, this store epitomizes the hipster chic of Echo Park.
I love spending long afternoons writing here. The steady stream of fashionable clientele and pampered dogs makes for great people watching. When I need a break, I browse through their stuffed shelves, enjoying the combination of unique titles and bestsellers alike.
In addition to book events, Stories also host a weekly free comedy show, Good Heroin, every Saturday.
Tip: Come on a Friday afternoon and stop by the Echo Park Farmer’s Market down the block! Open from 3 to 7:30 pm, it is a great spot to grab local produce and prepared foods in the city.
I highly recommend grabbing a plate of vegan pupusas from Delmy’s Pupusas and the utterly addicting tempah offered by Dave’s Korean.
5)Vroman’s
While you’re in Pasadena, take a drive down Colorado Blvd to visit the iconic Vroman’s Bookstore. This bookstore really has it all: wide selection, well-chosen staff picks, unique gifts, and more. As the largest and oldest independent bookstore in California, it has a deep rooted history in Pasadena. While it has a broad selection in every genre, I particularly love this shop for its broad range of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Young Adult titles. They also host regular author events from local and international writers.
Vroman’s was my favorite depression visit. The drive to old town Pasadena was just far enough to offer a sense of reprieve: as the mountains grew clearer and crisper, my existential dread eased just a little. Maybe it was the fresh air. Or maybe it was just the relief of knowing I probably would not run into anyone I knew. But I treasured those weekend trips to the bookstore and its now-permanently closed neighbor, Zona Rosa Coffee (RIP).
Tip: If it’s nice out, take your new book to one of the nearby parks. My favorite is Pasadena Central Park. It’s either an enjoyable twenty minute walk or an easy drive.
Nearby are multiple great restaurants and cafes. My favorites are Neighborhood and Friends which offer charcuterie boards (including plant-based!), sandwiches, and great coffee, and HomeBrewed Bar (be careful of the mini boba: it’s delicious but so, so easy to choke on).
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6)Chevalier’s
Small but mighty, Chevalier’s is an anchor in the LA literary scene. As the city’s oldest indie bookshop, it offers a robust selection in a compact space. You can feel the booksellers’ passion on these shelves: every genre is lovingly curated with bestsellers and hidden gems alike. I have been hand sold multiple titles by the employees here and always look forward to their recommendations. They also have an exciting weekly events lineup from open mic and trivia nights, to zine fests, and author readings. Make sure to see what’s on!
This shop was a common stop for me in high school. A chubby fifteen-year-old, I felt so adult, strolling up Larchmont with a latte from Peet’s and browsing the shelves. Over fifteen years later, not much has changed.
Tip: I neither drink wine nor eat cheese, but I am a religious about Larchmont Wine and Cheese down the street. Get there in the afternoon before they run out of bread.
Get a number six on baguette. Do NOT fuck around with the ciabatta. You’re welcome.
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7)Book Soup
Bookseller to the Great and Infamous, boasts Book Soup’s sign, proudly hanging over the Sunset Strip. Inside, the shelves tower high: while small, the store is fully stocked, easily transporting the average shopper into a cozy labyrinth of pages.
Book Soup offers a range of genres, but caters most strongly to readers of literary fiction. It also has a very robust selection of memoir, nonfiction, and cookbooks. I enjoy their staff selections and well-curated table displays.
Tip: I love taking advantage of the hills in the area and combining a visit to this shop with an urban hike.
Park in West Hollywood south of Santa Monica Blvd and enjoy the butt-kicking grade of La Cienega Blvd. Walk north until you hit Sunset, then head west, enjoying the hilarious people watching on the Sunset Strip.
If you have bad knees like me, take the easier way back: Holloway Drive offers a gentler slope and joins with Santa Monica Blvd to leave you right where you parked in WeHo.
8) The Last Bookstore
What list of LA independent bookstores would be complete without The Last Bookstore? Inarguably the most famous of the LA indies, this shop brags of a huge selection of new and used titles as well as its most impressive draw: a beautiful (and highly Instagrammable) space.
Make sure to head upstairs to get the full experience. There, you’ll find charming nooks and crannies–as well as the famous book tunnel, where any book lover could take a new profile picture.
While it has every new title you could want, I highly recommend perusing their used books. As a fantasy fan, I love getting lost in their shelves and finding out-of-print gems from decades ago. They now have two locations to choose from, the original in DTLA and a second in Studio City.
Tip: Take public transportation if you can. Parking downtown is famously difficult, but with multiple metro lines converging in the heart of the city, you just might have the option of an easy train journey. Also, if you’re hungry after all that browsing, go to Yuko’s kitchen around the corner.
9) The Illiad
If you like secondhand books, The Illiad is a must-visit. This is an eclectic shop where you probably won’t find what you want, but you will leave with something cool and find some sweet cats! They have a huge fiction and drama section, plus an extensive non-fiction section sorted by genre and topic.
This one takes a long time to explore, so settle in and get lost. If you want a short but satisfying loop hike nearby, look up Fryman Canyon!
Thankfully, I’m well out of my Saturn Returns now. Books have gone back to being a well-loved passion, rather than a lifeline keeping me afloat–but still, I find myself stopping by these stores every week or so.
As the literary scene in LA grows, the indie bookstores are more and more essential, quiet centers of community in a loud city. This is just a small selection of the wonderful bookshop in Los Angeles so make sure to keep exploring!
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