If you’re looking for bookstores in Los Angeles, the city serves nothing but the finest. All the major chains are here, of course. But Los Angeles also boasts dozens of independent bookstores that can give you the scoop on the literary history of Los Angeles, selling rare volumes, special-interest books — travel, food, art, film and more — as well as best-selling general fiction and nonfiction. The following Los Angeles bookstores are filled with page-turning thrills, and browsing is always encouraged.
Caravan Book Store is the last of the bookshops along what was once known as Book Seller’s Row. Situated across from Los Angeles Central Public Library, Caravan specializes in rare and antique books on California history, Americana, voyages and other historic subjects. 550 S. Grand Ave. tel. 213.626.9944
REDCAT Books is located inside the lounge at REDCAT (the Roy and Edna Disney/Cal Arts Theatre at the Walt Disney Concert Hall). It is “a bookstall evocative of European theater bookstalls.” The bookstore features about 400 titles, plenty of seating and a liquor bar. S. Hope Street and 2nd Street. Tel. 213.237.2800
Metropolis Books is located in the ultra-hip Old Bank District, with a carefully chosen inventory focused on fiction, mystery, film and anime. 440 S. Main St. Tel. 213.612.0174
MOCA (The Museum of Contemporary Art) Grand Avenue features an extensive stock of books and catalogues focused on modern and contemporary art produced since 1940. 250 S. Grand Ave. Tel. 213.621.1710
Storyopolis is a Los Angeles favorite for children’s books as well as illustrated art from children’s books. Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Jerry Seinfeld have been known to buy “book bushels” — baskets filled with themed books. Storyopolis also carries antiquarian children’s books, including first editions by J.R. Tolkein and Roald Dahl. 14945 Ventura Blvd. Tel. 818.990.7600
Bodhi Tree Bookstore is known throughout the nation as one of the best sources for books on spirituality, metaphysics, philosophy and psychology. The vibe is low-key and the helpful staff is totally into the shop’s literary specialties. 8585 Melrose Ave. Tel. 310.659.3110
Book Soup, located in the heart of the Sunset Strip, is famous for ceiling-high bookshelves, a celebrity clientele and author signings. In addition to in-depth fiction and nonfiction titles, it specializes in art, film and music as well as books from university, international and small presses. 8818 Sunset Blvd. Tel. 310.659.3110
Dawson’s Book Shop has been selling books since 1905 and is the oldest continuously operating bookstore in Los Angeles. The focus of this cozy brick-lined shop is rare and out-of-print books on California history, Western Americana and photography. Its collection also includes manuscripts and printed ephemera, and it often hosts discussions by prominent Los Angeles-based authors. 535 N. Larchmont Blvd. Tel. 323.469.2186
Hennessey & Ingalls is the largest art and architecture bookstore in the western United States. This is where architects, artists, collectors and librarians head to browse and swoon, and it’s where many Hollywood art directors come for inspiration. 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Tel. 323.466.1256; 214 Wilshire Blvd. Tel. 310.458.9074
Larry Edmunds Bookshop has one of the country’s largest selections (20,000 titles) of film-, TV- and theater-related books. In business for more than 60 years, the shelves hold biographies as well as books on film and theater history, acting, animation and special effects. 6644 Hollywood Blvd. Tel. 323.463.3273
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has two gift shop/bookstores on its main plaza. Both offer extensive collections of art books, supplemented with relevant book titles during special exhibits. 5905 Wilshire Blvd. Tel. 323.857.6000
Traveler’s Bookcase is located on a busy stretch on 3rd Street, just east of La Cienega. Its shelves are stocked with bestsellers as well as hard-to-find books. 8375 W. Third St. 323.655.0575
Williams’ Book Store has been serving San Pedro readers for nearly 100 years as a full-service bookshop. Williams’ also sells hard-to-find books on San Pedro and Palos Verdes history, flora and fauna. 443 W. 6th St. Tel. 310.832.3631
Distant Lands Travel Bookstore and Outfitters is focused on offering both basic and somewhat esoteric travel books. Its collection can guide travelers to destinations as close as Southern California and as far away as Tibet. Occasionally Rick Steves — the rock star of travel books — comes to speak. 56 N. Raymond Ave. Tel. 626.449.3220
Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens features a gift shop/bookstore filled with books for adults and children on British and American literature, art, photography, flowers and gardening, supplemented with relevant titles during special exhibitions. 1151 Oxford Rd. Tel. 626.405.2100
Vroman’s Bookstore is the oldest and largest independent bookstore in Southern California. They’ve been selling books in Pasadena since 1894 – almost as long as the Rose Parade has been around. Vroman’s boasts more than 85,000 titles on all subjects — from its hip new “The Edge” section to the vast upstairs children’s book section. It frequently hosts author signings. 695 E. Colorado Blvd. Tel. 626.449.5320
