By 
The global pandemic year of 2020 will forever be remembered as the year that upended businesses. Especially hard-hit were many beloved mainstay restaurants in the LA scene, which closed their doors after decades of service.
Last year during lockdown, I became an avid reader. My go-to bookstore has been Iliad Bookstore in North Hollywood since early 2019. I’ve always liked reading, but before March 2020, I did not have a habit of reading every day.
I was a little hesitant to share some of these places, because many of them are hidden jewels unbeknownst to many people, but I would be doing this blog and the bookstores I’m about to share a disservice if I didn’t share them with you.
A common thread among all the bookstores in LA is that loyalty runs deep among Angelenos and small businesses. It doesn’t matter if there’s a worldwide pandemic or an alien invasion, people will line up on the street to support their favorite businesses.
In December 2020 and January 2021, I visited these bookstores, talked with the owners and cashiers, and acquired a great deal of insight into the LA indie book world. Most of the bookstores on this list do not have social media presence, which is also why I wanted to give them some exposure through this post.
In this post, I will be skipping LA’s most famous indie bookstores that you can find if you comb through any LA best indie bookstore list.
I’m talking about Book Soup in West Hollywood, Skylight Books in Los Feliz, and Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena. I remember going to the latter during lockdown and I was amazed by the outpouring of love and support. There was a 25-minute wait to go inside.
After testing the waters at LA’s most famous independent bookstores, I have found that my favorite bookstores are no-frills and run by middle-aged individuals who love and breathe books from the inside out. You walk through the door and you’re instantly enthralled by the classic book smell and the books stacked floor-to-ceiling. No fanciness or pretentiousness. Just veteran owners and their vast wealth of knowledge. I was also a bit bummed out when I found out about extinct bookstores that had been mainstays in LA for decades like Bookfellows/Mystery And Imagination in Glendale and Book Castle/Movie World in Burbank.
The next time you’re about to order a book from Amazon, I encourage you to give at least one of these places a call to see if they have what you’re looking for. Imagine the positive impact you’ll be making by supporting small businesses!
Iliad Bookshop
5400 Cahuenga Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
My all-time favorite bookstore and well-known among bookworms in LA. Iliad reignited my love of reading and prompted me to buy more books. I have been a regular at this bookstore since 2019 and will continue to do so for as long as I live in LA. I love donating books and contributing to helping the store thrive. I have found so many amazing books that I thought would not be possible at a great price: old discontinued gothic novels, the hardcover version of Hollywood Babylon by Kenneth Anger, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for $2, and many more.
What is so special about Iliad is the beautiful archways, which make your experience a whimsical one. The cats roaming around and perching on the furniture are also the stars of the show, but what I find to be the most impressive is that the employees and the owner, Dan Weinstein, don’t need a computer to search for any books. You can throw them any book title off-the-cuff and they’ll know right away where it is or if they have it in stock. They truly know every book that comes into their store, and it’s a pretty big one! Iliad is the most comprehensive used bookstore I’ve ever been to and the employees’ love of books really shines through.
Since I’ve been frequenting their store, the employees have been the same and their service is impeccable everytime I go there, despite the fact that I have never engaged in a conversation with them. Even Harvey, who is sometimes busy sorting out new books that come in, will go out of his way to help me find a book title. Iliad has boxes of free books in the parking lot, but there is a limit per person so that people don’t go overboard. You will not leave empty-handed. Iliad also has a beautiful reading area with comfy armchairs in the back. They’re always happy to accept donations and will start implementing their store credit sometime in the future. Make sure to call ahead to confirm this so you can save money if you buy books after donating your old ones.
$10 Or Less Bookstore
8727 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324
Edit: This bookstore is now called The Open Book.
WOW!! How come I’ve never been here before? To say that this place is a gem is a huge understatement. They carry an impressive slew of popular books and best-sellers for $10 or less! I was utterly impressed at the vast selection of well-known authors they had: Murakami, Toni Morrison, Michelle Obama and Junot Diaz among others. You might poke about and get lucky like I did when I found A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara for $5.95, but overall it’s not commonplace to find a vast array of authors there.
I was a little bit apprehensive to drive all the way to Northridge, but I could not have been happier with my bargains! Wow! Books that I’ve been wanting to read for a while were all waiting for me on the bookshelves.
If I had purchased these books through Amazon, my total would have come to $58.38. I cannot believe for the life of me I was able to snag all these for $24! 😲😲 I had to pace myself in order not to give ammunition to my book buying impulse. The books are all in great condition and the staff are young hippie bookworm girls from the valley who will readily answer all of your questions. If you make the trek to Northridge, just be aware that you’ll probably walk out with an armload of books you didn’t know you wanted to read.
$10 Or Less Bookstore The Open Book also has a great section of literature classics, children’s, black history, vintage books and comics.
Read Books
4972 N Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041
What a delightful little bookstore! Read Book Eagle Rock is run by a middle-aged married couple. Upon walking in, you will be welcomed by their lovely and super well-behaved dog. The books are literally piled up floor-to-ceiling, which I love. You have to watch your step because there are also books spread out all over the floor.
You can find new releases at Read Book but unlike the previous bookstore, if the release is brand new, it might be priced over $10. They had Conversation With Friends and Normal People by Sally Rooney priced $10 each. If you’re a bookworm, you’ll know those have been recommended countless times by celebrities and Instagram book clubs. This bookstore was also fully stocked on Maya Angelou, George Orwell and the mystery best-selling author James Patterson, who is ubiquitous in every single bookstore. Their breadth of fiction inventory is pretty impressive.
I spent at least 30 minutes browsing the book covers and completely submerged in the process.
Sideshow Books
1639 La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought to find this hidden bookstore in the sketchy area of La Cienega Blvd South. I emphasize hidden because the exterior is a nondescript storefront with a small neon sign that reads “BOOKS” among the security bars.
There was a closed sign on the door saying they were only taking people by appointment. Having not made an appointment, I was about to walk away but I reluctantly twisted the doorknob anyway, and to my delight, I was welcomed into this book heaven.
Because there was only one customer inside, he let me stay. Due to the pandemic and the stringent restrictions, make sure to call before you go there so that he knows you’re coming. Only two people at a time are allowed to go in.
The owner of the bookstore is Tony Jacobs. After I told him about this blog post, he sheepishly showed me around the store and kept apologizing for the mess. I said no apologies were needed as I wasn’t looking for aesthetically pleasing bookstores, and the messier, and more chaotic the bookstore was, the better. Before the pandemic, Sideshow Books hosted a collage workshop every Thursday for almost two years and other creative activities on Sundays.
I was delighted by the messy piles of books at every corner. If you love books, this store will be like Disneyland. He also said he was not currently buying books since business was bad, so he was only accepting donations. Before I left, we were chatting about one of my favorite genres, historical gothic romance and I casually brought up the author Victoria Holt, who’s one of my favorite authors and also pretty hard to find. Other than Iliad Bookshop, I haven’t come across a bookstore that carries her books. He knew exactly who I was talking about, and although he didn’t have her books in stock, he recommended a bookstore in Torrance where they sell hard-to-find paperbacks and offer great deals.
Before I jump into the next bookstore, I want to reiterate that Sideshow Books is the epitome of a hidden gem. The newer titles are not at bargain prices but they’re reasonably priced. The fact that it’s owner-operated adds even more allure. Tony is super nice and he will make you feel like you’re chatting with a lifelong friend! I could have easily spent hours marvelling at the seemingly endless inventory of books. Do yourself a favor and call Tony to schedule an appointment at this magical place.
Lost Books
2233 Honolulu Ave, Montrose, CA 91020
I found out about Lost Books on IG! Since its opening in summer 2021, I have seen the plant-filled tunnel on my IG feed multiple times. When I was doing my research, I found out that the tunnel was created by Yuko, owner and founder of Yuko Kitchen! If you want to see her gorgeous plant haven restaurant in DTLA, read the review I wrote a few months ago here.
Lost Books is the sister store to The Last Bookstore located in Downtown LA.
When I went to Lost Books, I had to squint my eyes in order to find the right storefront on the street. It sits very inconspicuously, which adds even more magic to the experience.
Once you walk through the plant tunnel with twinkly lights, you will find yourself in a labyrinth of bookshelves. They really embraced the “getting lost” part.
What I like about Lost Books is that it’s more low-key than the DTLA location, where you’re bound to find crowds of people, so your experience will not be as intimate. Located in Downtown Montrose, this quaint stretch that could easily replicate the set of Pretty Little Liars or Gilmore Girls, boasts an eclectic mix of mom-and-pop businesses and restaurants.
Since Lost Books is a newer bookstore, the inventory was pretty limited, but they still carried an excellent variety of genres and a wide mix of old and new books. They are also currently working on a coffee shop inside the bookstore, which you will see in the back.
Isobel L.
Orange County and San Diego are filled with outstanding independent bookstores, but these ones caught my eye. I wanted to narrow down this list to LA only, but I had to make an exception with these two!
Beach Town Books
99 Avenida Serra, San Clemente, CA 92672
Beach Books sits on a quiet residential street just a few blocks away from the beach in San Clemente, the last town in Orange County before San Diego County. The most enticing element is the interior of the bookstore with its cozy and inviting nooks.
To put the icing on the cake, the employees could not be any nicer. I met Paige, who gave me a quick rundown on the book pricing. The books are basically half off the retail price, but some older books and new releases have different pricing. If you donate your used books, you may get store credit and that includes 75% off your purchase! Sign up to their rewards program to get special perks like a special birthday discount. Beach Books also gets extra points because at the entrance, they have a stand where you will see books by Black authors.
This excellent bookstore is the amalgamation of Southern’s California laid-back beach lifestyle. I can’t wait to go back!
Verbatim Books
3793 30th St. San Diego, CA 92104
After many trips to San Diego, I finally paid a visit to Verbatim Books! If you’re a book lover and you’re ever in San Diego, this antiquarian bookstore is a must-visit. Their famous wall area reminded me so much of the library in Disney’s cartoon movie The Beauty and The Beast. The chandelier and the vintage chairs add a special charm that will take you back to another time, almost as if you had just stepped into a magical castle.
There is another section where aisles of bookshelves await you. I really underestimated the size — it’s huge! Upon seeing the long aisles, I was mesmerized by their impressive inventory and wide variety of genres.
Be prepared to spend a huge chunk of your time there! I had to cut my visit short because I had already planned out my day, but I can’t wait to go back and spend at least 30 minutes perusing the aisles! There is a parking lot right across the street from the bookstore, so definitely park there because street parking in this area is a mess!
Once Read Bookstore Long Beach
5422 E Village Rd, Long Beach, CA 90808
Unlike the owners of the other bookstores in this post, the owner of Once Read Bookstore is a curmudgeonly man who will not twist himself into a pretzel to search for the book you’re inquiring about. Don’t let this deter you from going! He’s nice but just doesn’t have the chops to do customer service. The store is not that big so it’s easy to browse. This bookstore carries old vintage magazine publications, as well as issues of National Geographic that date all the way back to the early 1900s! One area of the store is dedicated to collectible and rare books, while the back of the store is sorted by genre. There’s a stand outside with cheap paperbacks as well.
Stories Books and Cafe
1716 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Think cutesy cafe with a bookstore inside like in those Hallmark movies. Stories Books and Cafe is a quaint bookstore in the heart of Echo park with a cafe and a patio inside for you to sip coffee while reading a book or just work on your laptop. Given the location and the cozy atmosphere with indie music playing in the background, most of the patrons are young hipsters.
They do sell some used books, but most of their inventory is new. So yes, the prices will be steep in comparison to the cheap used books you can find in this post. Stories Books and Cafe is the perfect place to spend the afternoon in one of LA’s artsy hipster neighborhoods.
Hennessey + Ingall Bookstore
300 S Santa Fe Ave M, Los Angeles, CA 90013
I’m not an art or photography lover, but this gorgeous bookstore deserved a spot on the list. Hennessey is widely known among art connoisseurs for their extensive selection of art, fashion, architecture, graphic and interior design. Bookstores specifically devoted to these genres are not commonplace. If you walk into any bookstore, you will obviously find an art aisle, but not the vast selection Hennessey + Ingall boasts. It’s truly impressive and I can see why this place is a sanctum for art fiends. Even if you don’t like art, I promise that you’ll find yourself flipping through the beautiful coffee table books. Furthermore, Hennessey + Ingall has a clearance section where you’ll find used books for $10 or less.
The store’s location in the newly gentrified area of the Arts District in Downtown LA is the perfect fit.
Counterpoint Records & Books
5911 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
When you walk into this store, you will feel a sense of nostalgia thanks to their wooden shelves overcrowded with VHS tapes and vinyl records. To amp up the nostalgia and longing for the past, the store also has an old TV playing classic movies. With an exclusive location in the perennial hipster neighborhood of Los Feliz, Counterpoint Records & Books offers an extensive inventory of low priced used books ranging from fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry, and more genres. Despite their overwhelming amount of inventory, everything is neatly organized and the books are in mint condition. As you wander the aisles and take a respite from the hustle of Franklin Avenue, you might feel like you’re in a movie or a music video.
Malik Books
3650 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Ste 245, Los Angeles, CA 90008
Malik Books is a lovely Black-owned bookstore tucked away on the second floor of the Baldwin Hills shopping center. As you can imagine, during the pandemic most people expect mall stores to be closed, but they’re not.
All the books here are new so don’t expect used book prices. Malik Books has another location in Westfield Culver City. The Baldwin Hills location is not big, but has everything you can think of in regards to Black culture: biographies, memoirs, Christian non-fiction and myriad of fiction titles by Black authors. April also shared that Malik Books has the most children’s books by Black authors you will find in LA. If there’s a specific book you’re looking for and they don’t have it in stock, they will happily order it for you. In addition, the store sells merchandise such as tote bags, purses, calendars, luggage tags and other memorabilia that pay homage to Black culture.
Malik Book’s website is up-to-date. On it, you will find the store’s best sellers, and the merchandise I mentioned above among other things.
One last remark is that there’s a Reading List stand dedicated to Nipsey Hussle, a rapper who was killed in a drive-by shooting in LA in 2019.
Libros Schimbros Lending Library
103 N Boyle Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Libros Schimbros is a bilingual lending library in Boyle Heights, a Latino neighborhood in East LA. Given its location on the Mariachi Plaza, you will see bright colorful murals and of course, mariachis! If you’ve never been to this side of LA, this is the real LA.
On their website they say: “Since 2010, we’ve tried to create a place where anybody, regardless of means or status, can walk in and find good books and good company.” To demonstrate this inclusive approach, they have a stand outside with free books. Libros Schimbros also holds literary events for the community.
Alias Books East
3163 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
As you can see, there is no shortage of art bookstores in LA. If you’re a bibliophile of rare fine art and photography books, this is the place for you. This used bookstore in the heart of Altwater Village is owned and operated by Patrick, who will answer all of your questions and give you his best recommendations. The interior is aesthetically pleasing and quiet. There are some fiction and non-fiction titles, but Alias’ main focus is art and cinema.
Independent bookstores on the West Side:
The Ripped Bodice
3806 Main St, Culver City, CA 90232
Romantic bookstore (used + new books) Being the historical romance novel fiend that I am, I can’t believe this gem of a store has flown under my radar for so long! The Ripped Bodice is the only exclusively romance bookstore on the West Coast. The interior is beautifully decorated, even the bathroom is covered with inspirational post-it notes. They also carry a wide variety of sub-genres like erotica, LGBTQ, feminism, sexual wellness and even BDSM. The store was founded by sisters Beah and Leah, whose fervent love of romance novels led to the creation of The Ripped Bodice in 2016. The only used books they sell are paperback romance novels.
“Both sisters are lifelong romance readers and feel lucky to spend their days surrounded by books.” – TheRippedBodice.com
Arcana: Books On The Arts (Culver City) – Independent art bookstore. They carry the same genres as Hennessey + Ingalls but they have more rare books. The size of the shop is smaller, which lends itself to a more curated, and hence, more expensive. Website
Angel City Books (Santa Monica) – Used books. Just as this list was drawing to an end, I decided to squeeze in Angel City Books in Santa Monica. The owner was not the nicest as he was very paranoid about COVID-19. He promptly told me it was not the best time for an interview and directed me to the website for information.
What are your favorite bookstores in LA? Let me know if you have been to any of these bookstores!
