CaliforniaAuthors - News and notes from America’s largest book market
July 25, 2008

California Independent Bookstores

Bookstores here are listed alphabetically by city.

Or browse: campus stores.other west coast shops


Find indy bookstores close to home. Go to indiebound.org and enter a zip code. Also visit: the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association and Southern California Independent Booksellers Association.

Don’t see your favorite listed here? Tell us about it.


Anaheim

Book Baron - Sells used and rare books. Storefront has closed; online only.

Berkeley

Black Oak Books - 1491 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley. 510-486-0698. New and used books.

Cody’s Books - 2201 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. 510-559-9500. General bookseller; sells books online, too.

Moe’s Books - 2476 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, 510-849-2087. General bookstore celebrating 80th year in business. Sells books online.

Rebecca’s Books - 3268 Adeline St., Berkeley, 94703. 510-852-4768. Specializes in ethnic poetry.

Beverly Hills

Taschen Books - 354 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, 90212. 310-274-4300.

Bishop

Spellbinder of Bishop Books & Coffee - 124 S. Main St., Bishop, 93514. 760-873-4511.

Brawley

Navor bookstore - 154 Main St., Brawley, 92227. 760-344-0406. Opened in 2007.

Capitola

Capitola Book Cafe - 1475 41st Ave., Capitola, 95010. 831-462-4415.

Coronado

Bay Books - 1029 Orange Avenue, Coronado, 92118. 619-435-0070. Described as San Diego County’s largest independent bookstore.

Clearlake

Wild About Books - 14290 Olympic Drive, Suite A, Clearlake, 95422. 707-994-9453. Books and local art.

Corte Madera

Book Passage - 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415-927-0960 or 800-999-7909. Book Passage also has a second store in the San Francisco Ferry Building, 1 Ferry Building, #42, San Francisco, 94111. 415-835-1020. Hosts writing conferences and more than 400 author events a year. Sells books online.

Costa Mesa

Visions & Dreams - 2482 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, 92627. 949-646-7246. Metaphysical bookstore.

Del Mar area

Book Works - 36 Rancho Del Mar Center, Aptos, 95003. 831-688-4554. Books, cards and gifts.

Fresno

Fig Garden Bookstore - 5094 N. Palm Ave., Fresno. 559-226-1845. Friendly, locally-owned bookstore with a focus on California subjects.

Glendale

Abril Bookstore & Publishing - 415 E. Broadway Ave., Suite #102, Glendale, 91205. 818-243-4112. Specializes in Armenian books, music, videos, cards, posters, and gifts.

Mystery and Imagination Bookshop - 238 North Brand Blvd., Glendale, 91203. 818-545-0206. Owned by Malcolm and Christine Bell, who have been Los Angeles-area purveyors of mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, and horror fiction since 1975.

Half Moon Bay

Ink Spell Books - 500 Purissima St., Half Moon Bay, 94019. 650-726-6571.

Healdsburg

Copperfield’s Books - 104 Matheson, Healdsburg, 95448. 707-433-9270. Coppersfield now owns what used to be the Toyon bookstore. Coppersfield’s also has bookstores in Calistoga, Napa, Petaluma, Sebastopol, and Santa Rosa.

Hollywood area

Many Paths Bookstore - 5152A Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, 91601. 818-762-4789. Located in the North Hollywood arts district, Many Path sells books, spoken word & music CDs, DVDs, candles, incense & oils, journals, greeting cards, and yoga & meditation tools.

Irvine

A Whale of a Tale - 4199 Campus Drive, Suite A, Irvine, across from the UC Irvine campus. 949-854-8288. Well-stocked children’s bookstore often features top children’s writers. Sells books online.

Julian

Julian Book House - 2230 Main St., Julian, 92036. 760-765-1989. A well-stocked used bookstore run by a pair of retired teachers.

La Canada

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse - 964 Foothill Blvd, La Canada Flintridge, 91011. 818-790-0717. Opened in 2007.

Lafayette

Lafayette Book Store - 3569 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, 94549. 925-284-1233.

Laguna Beach

Latitude 33 - 311 Ocean Ave., Laguna, 92651. 949-494-5403.

Laguna Beach Books - 1200 South Coast Hwy., Suite 105, Laguna, 92651. 949-494-4779.

Lake View Terrace

Tia Chucha’s Cafe Cultural — 10258 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace, 91342. (818-896-1479 . A bookstore, cafe, art gallery and cultural center. Areas of focus include Xicano history and literature, young adult fiction, Spanish-language, and bilingual children’s books.

La Jolla

D.G. Wills Books - 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 92037. 858-456-1800. General interest and scholarly shop with a focus on Baja California, art, and architecture books.

Warwick’s — 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 92037. 858-454-0347. A family-run business since the 1930s, Warkwick’s sells books, stationery, gifts, office supplies, and art supplies.

La Mesa

The Yellow Book Road - 8315 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa, 91941. 619-463-4900. Children’s bookstore.

Livermore

Firehouse Bistro and Books - 2369 First St., Livermore, 94550. 925-449-3473. Opened in 2007.

Long Beach

Acres of Books - 240 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, 90802. 562-437-6980. Used books in downtown.

Cultura Latina Bookstore - 4125 Norse Way, Long Beach. 562-982-1515. Specializes in Latino culture, art, history and writers.

Once Upon A Story - 3740 E. Fourth St., Long Beach. 562-433-6856. A neighborhood children’s bookshop.

Los Angeles Area

Bodhi Tree Bookstore - 8585 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, 90069-5199. 310-659-1733. Books, Recorded Material, Spiritual Accessories, & Gifts.

Book Soup - 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 310-659-3110. General interest bookstore that boasts celebrity browsers. Online book sales.

Cook’s Library - 8373 W. 3rd Street. Los Angeles, 90048. 323-655-3141. Founded by Ellen Rose in 1989, the Cook’s Library offers a wide selection of cookbooks.

Eso Won Books - 4331 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles, 90008. 323-290-1048.

J. Paul Getty Museum Bookshop - 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. 310-440-7300. The Getty publishes its own collection. Online store.

Metropolis Books - 440 S. Main St, Los Angeles, 90013. 213-612-0174. Full-service bookstore, close to downtown’s emerging Gallery Row.

The Mystery Bookstore - 1036-C Broxton Ave., Los Angeles, 90024. 310/209-0415; 800-821-9017.

Skylight books - 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, 90027. 323-660-1175. Eclectic neighborhood bookstore in Los Feliz area. Extensive calendar of author and community events. Sells books online.

Storyopolis - 116 North Robertson Blvd. Plaza Level A, Los Angeles. 310-358-2500. Children’s bookstore and gallery.

Traveler’s Bookcase - 8375 West Third St., Los Angeles, 90048. 323-655-0575. Travel books, maps, and accessories.

Malibu

Diesel Books - 3890 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, 90265. 310-456-9961. Oakland bookseller has opened a second shop, giving Malibu a community bookstore.

Mendocino

Gallery Books & Bookwinkle’s Children’s Books - PO Box 270, Main & Kasten Streets, Mendocino. 707-937-2665. Online bookseller.

Menlo Park

Kepler’s Books & Magazines - 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, 650-324-4321. One of the Bay Area’s oldest independents. Sells books online.

Montrose

Once Upon a Time Bookshoppe - 2284 Honolulu Avenue, Montrose, 818-248-9668. Family bookstore.

Oakland

Diesel Books - 5433 College Ave., Oakland, 94618. 510-653-9965. Diesel’s original Northern California bookstore.
Marcus Books - 3900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 510-652-2344.

Orange

Book Carnival - 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange. 714-538-3210. Specializes in mysteries.

Pacific Palisades

Village Books - 1049 Swarthmore Ave., Pacific Palisades, 90272. 310-454-4063.

Pasadena

Book Alley. 1252 E. Colorado Blvd. 626-683-8083. Sells new, used and rare books.

Book ’Em - 1118 Mission St., South Pasadena, 91030. 626-799-9600. Neighborhood bookstore specializes in mysteries.

Distant Lands - 56 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 91105. 800-310-3220. A hub for travel books, maps, and gear.

Vroman’s -695 E Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena. 626-449-5320; 800-769-BOOK. Branch locations: Vroman’s Hastings Ranch, 3729 E. Foothill Blvd. 626-351-0828. Vroman’s Bargain Books, 340 S. Lake Ave. 626-396-1670. With every sale, this landmark bookseller gives back one percent to community charities. Online bookshop.

Sacramento

The Avid Reader at the Tower - 1600 Broadway, Sacramento, 95818. 916-441-4400. An outpost of the Avid Reader shop in Davis.
Beers Books - 915 S. Street, Sacramento, 95814. 916-442-9475. Offers new and used books.

Book Lovers - 5800 Madison Ave., Sacramento, 95841. 916-332-3133

San Diego area

Mysterious Galaxy - 7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., #302, San Diego. 800-811-4747. Specializes in mystery and speculative fiction.

Upstart Crow - 835 C West Harbor Drive, San Diego. 619-232-4855.

Chinaberry - The Chinaberry catalogue is more like a book magazine, full of hand-picked children’s literature and thoughtful reviews. In addition to its mail order catalogue and online store, Chinaberry also has an outlet store near San Diego (at 2780 Via Orange Way, Spring Valley, 91978). 619-670-5200 800-776-2242.

San Francisco

Babylon Falling - 1017 Bush St. 415-345-1017-0877. Books, art and other items.

The Booksmith - 1644 Haight Street, San Francisco. 1-800-493-7323. Online bookseller.

Borderlands Books - 866 Valencia Street, San Francisco, 94110. 415-824-8203. Features science fiction, fantasy, and horror books.

Christopher’s Books - 1400 18th Street, San Francisco. 415-255-8802. Potrero Hill’s neighborhood bookstore since 1991.

City Lights Booksellers - 261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco. 415-362-8193. San Francisco institution founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

Green Apple Books and Music - 506 Clement St., San Francisco, 94118. 415-387-2272. New and used books.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Bookstore - 151 Third St. SF. 415-357-4035. Cool browsing, plus a great way to support art and educational programs. Online store.

San Francisco Mystery Bookstore - 4175 24th St., San Francisco. 415-282-7444.

San Jose

Hicklebee’s - 1378 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose. 408-292-8880. Children’s center that also sells books online.
Willow Glen Books - 1330 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 95125. 408-298-8141.

San Leandro

Gray Wolf Books - 14595 E. 14th St., San Leandro, 94578.

San Mateo

M is for Mystery - 86 East Third Ave., San Mateo. 650-401-8077.

San Pedro

Under the Bridge Bookstore and Gallery - 358 West 6th St., San Pedro, 90731. 310-519-8871. Latino literature, used books, collectibles, and art by local artists.

Santa Ana

Libreria Martinez Books and Art Gallery - 1110 N. Main Street, Santa Ana. 714-973-7900. Bilingual bookstore with a children’s book shop next door.

Santa Cruz

Bookshop Santa Cruz - 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. 831-423-0900; General interest bookstore, showcases homegrown writers. Online bookseller.

Santa Rosa

Mysterious Future Bookstore - 531 Fifth St,
(between Mendocino and B St.), Santa Rosa. 707-545-5828.

Sebastopol

Copperfield’s Books - 138 N. Main St., Sebastopol, 95472. 707-823-2618.

Solvang

Book Loft - 1680 Mission Drive, Solvang, 93463. 805-688-6010.

Thousand Oaks

Mysteries To Die For - 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 805-374-0084

Venice

Equator Books - 1103 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 90291. 310-399-5544

Yosemite

Yosemite Bookstore - Yosemite National Park. 209-379-2646. Featuring titles about National Parks, the outdoors, history and natural history.

Campus Bookstores

CSULB Bookstore - California State University, Long Beach. 562-985-7943

Stanford University Bookstore - White Plaza, Stanford. 650-329-1217 or 1-800-533-2670

UC Davis Bookstore - University of California Davis - 530-752-6846.

University of California Los Angeles BookZone - 308 Westwood Plaza, Ackerman Union B Level, Los Angeles. 310-206-4041.

UCR Bookstore - University of California Riverside - 909 787-4211.

UCSD Bookstore - University of California San Diego - 858-534-7323. 800-520-7323

UCSF Bookstore - University of California San Francisco - 1-800-846-2144. 415-476-1666.

UCSB Bookstore - University of California Santa Barbara - 805-893-3271.

Bay Tree Bookstore at University of California Santa Cruz - 831-459-4544

USC Bookstore - 840 Childs Way, Los Angeles. 213-740-BOOK

Other West Coast Bookstores

Powell’s Books - 1005 W Burnside, Portland, OR; 503-228-4651 or 866-201-7601. One of the world’s largest bookstores. Also sells books online.

Tattered Cover Bookstore - Cherry Creek Store, 2955 East First Avenue, Denver, CO. 303-322-7727. 1-800-833-9327.-800-833-9327

Last updated on March 21st, 2008