NewPages Guide to
Indie Bookstores in California

Books Inc., The West's Oldest Independent Bookseller, is a locally owned and operated independent bookseller with 10 locations in California. Books Inc.’s origin dates back to the Gold Rush Days of 1851 when Anton Roman struck it rich in Shasta City, California and set himself up in business selling books.

Tavistock Books, a sole proprietorship established in 1989, specializes in first editions, fine rare books and other related bibliographic material, with a special focus on Charles Dickens.

Independently owned and operated for over 48 years. Readers serving readers

We offer quality books at about half price. Over 2600 square feet, two floors, with an estimated 40,000 books of all genres. Used, Rare, Collectible. Buy, Sell, Trade, Donate.

We're Bakersfield's bookstore! Shop online. Shop local.

A locally owned independent bookstore since 1993. We carry lots of books, both new and used, as well as cards, quality games and toys, magazines, jigsaw puzzles, and other great gifts. We even have fair trade organic chocolate! We special order books at no extra cost and have a customer rewards program.

Afikomen Judaica, Contemporary Judaica for Inspired Living, is the premier, full service Judaica shop serving the entire Pacific Northwest. We specialize in quality merchandise, excellent customer service and an open, welcoming environment. 

Books Inc., The West's Oldest Independent Bookseller, is a locally owned and operated independent bookseller with 10 locations in California. Books Inc.’s origin dates back to the Gold Rush Days of 1851 when Anton Roman struck it rich in Shasta City, California and set himself up in business selling books.

Builders Booksource is not just for builders or architects. We see “builders” in everyone, from kids to grandparents!

Berkeley's first store for science fiction, fantasy, art, geek toys, writers' reference & surrealiana. Free comics every day at our sister store Escapist.

We are a bookstore that specializes in Asian, Asian American titles, language learning, children's books, martial arts and traditional Chinese medicine. We also carry Chinese calligraphy brushes, ink, watercolors and paper for your art projects. Book events and promotions for local authors, special book orders and institutional sales is also on our list of services.

A literary landmark on Berkeley's famed Telegraph Avenue with four floors of new, used, and sale books, plus a full schedule of readings and signings. Come in or shop online at our website.

The literary annex to Mr. Mopps' toy shop--specializing in great books for babies, kids, and teens.

Literary & Garden Arts

Revolution Books is the intellectual, political and cultural center for a movement for an actual revolution. Visit our website for information on upcoming events.

Come browse our new and gently used books in many genres, including contemporary and classic literature, mysteries and thrillers, history, memoir, biography, children's and young adult.

For over 40 years, Spellbinder Books has served the Eastern Sierra book-loving community. With a wide range of general and local interest titles, a special order service, gifts and cards, and a café behind the store, our friendly staff are happy to help you find your next read. Being East-Side aficionados as well as passionate readers, we're a great source of information about the area, too. Check out the store web site for information about our hours, location, and upcoming events - or email us to be added to our e-newsletter list - or like us on Facebook!

Bargain Book World carries thousands of gently used books, of which 99% are priced at $1-$3. More books arrive all day, every day. Find mass market paperback fiction titles at $1 each, buy three, get one free. Enormous selection of kids' books! Romance, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, fiction, classics, gardening, cooking, memoirs, self-help, religion, history, sports, and much much more. We also carry DVDs for $2 each or three for $5, and a great collection of CDs at $1 each. Your trade-ins are welcome. Hours Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat. 10am-8pm, Sun. 11am-7pm.

Dollar Book Fair - Buena Park, located in the Buena Park Downtown Mall (one block from Knott's Berry Farm), carries thousands of gently used books in all genres, 99% of which are priced at $1-$3. Mass market paperback fiction are $1 each, or buy three, get one free. Giant selection of kids' books. New arrivals all day, every day. Hours are Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-7pm. Romance, westerns, classics, history, cooking, memoirs, travel, self-help, religion, sports, art, coffee table books, and more! We also carry DVDs, $2 each or three for $5, and CDs at $1 each. Your trade-ins or donations are welcome. Come and explore!

Dark Delicacies is America's Home of Horror. Check out our website for a list of upcoming signings.

Mrs. Figs' Bookworm has been serving Camarillo, CA since 1973. We are proud to be a part of such a wonderful community, and we are genuinely grateful for the community's support!

Books Inc. is the West's oldest independent bookseller—around since 1851. In addition to bookselling, we host book clubs, author events, and storytimes.

We are Silicon Valley's premiere independent used bookstore. We buy, sell, trade, and have over 100,000 titles in stock at both locations.

Formerly located on Town Center Drive in Valencia, The Open Book is open once again in our new location on Soledad and Whites in Canyon Country with double the space and double the books! We carry a range of genres to suit every reader, young and old, as well as vintage books, CDs, and vinyl records. Come browse and pick up a book or two at our always-discounted prices, and be sure to ask about our events!

For over forty years, Pilgrim's Way has been a gem cherished by locals and tourists alike. Like the world around it, this little bookstore has evolved and expanded, while remaining steadfast and becoming the only remaining bookstore of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Itss original specialty of metaphysics has sustained, but a wide variety of new books and merchandise have found a place on these shelves. Titles ranging the gambit from new release bestsellers to children's books and from nutrition to local interest; the store's selection has proven as eclectic as the town's residents. It's a "Don't Miss" stop on a Carmel-by-the-Sea adventure.

A family-owned independent bookseller where every book is hand picked by the proprietor. Find new works in the humanities and sciences, select bestselling fiction and nonfiction, travel guides, children's classics, reference materials, foreign and domestic magazines, as well as collection-worthy architecture, art, cooking, equestrian, fashion, gardening, interior design, photography and wine books.

Bookworm and Bookbag have two locations throughout the Sacramento area: Fair Oaks and Carmichael.

A Mountain Marketplace featuring new books, gifts, clothing, local art, UPS Shipping, Copy Center, an online store for books, movies & DVDs, and much more. Hosting author signings and other events.

We're open 7 days a week. Stop by for our selection children's books, cookbooks, history, gardening, religion, art, and classic literature, and more. Hundreds of titles are added to our stock weekly.

A small local used bookstore with a huge selection!  Come check out the largest used bookstore in the San Joaquin Valley area. We specialize in local history, children's, California, and have 100,000's of used and collectible books!

We are a full-service used bookshop in Concord, California.

Bay Books a local independent bookstore that carries a broad selection of books, from the latest published books to the established timeless classics.

The Bay Area's liveliest bookstore!

Established in 1981, w are located in downtown Covina, about twenty miles east of Los Angeles. Our shop is open six days a week and houses an inventory of some 30,000 titles, ranging from the general second-hand to the truly antiquarian.

Independent new and used book store based in Corona, CA. We accept trade-ins. See you soon!

Purveyors of the finest photography, art, fashion, cinema, design, and architecture books and catalogues since 1984. Visit our website for news on upcoming events.

Art Catalogues specializes in new and out-of-print books and exhibition catalogues on art from the twentieth and twenty-first century.

The only exclusively romance bookstore in the United States. Visit us for author events.

Located in the beautiful San Ramon Valley, at the base of Mt. Diablo, Rakestraw Books "The Bookstore in Danville" strives to be a place where books and writers and readers matter. Founded in 1973, Rakestraw Books is a small, independent bookshop that remains dedicated to the principles espoused by its founders: to sell a variety of books of merit; to help readers discover those books; to sponsor events that bring a diverse range of writers and artists to our community; and to accomplish these tasks in a manner that is both professional and friendly.

Independent bookstore in downtown Davis. Two storefronts on one block: Avid Reader Original and Avid Reader Active.

The Avid Reader Active is the sister store of The Avid Reader bookstore in Davis, CA. We feature a variety of toys, games, cookbooks, crafts, and more.

Seeking to foster fantastic literary experiences for families in our beloved Del Mar beach community.

A science fiction and fantasy bookstore, serving the San Francisco Bay Area since 1977 and the Internet since 1994.

We exist for one simple reason: For the love of books. Face in a Book is a different kind of bookstore hub for reading enthusiasts and novices alike seeking books on every subject. Located in the heart of Town Center in El Dorado Hills, California, Face in a Book aims to delight readers of all ages. In addition to over 3000 titles to choose from, Face in a Book is your neighborhood destination for fun, affordable gifts, greeting cards, stationery, and jewelry for any occasion.

Formerly Book Tales bookstore and now under new ownership, Artifact Books buys, sells, and trades new, used, and rare books in all genres. From paperback bestsellers to signed 1st editions, Artifact Books' curated selection has something for every reader and book lover.

A store for book lovers. Over 50,000 used books in all genres, a friendly dog, and plenty of quirkiness. Come visit!

Eureka Books, est. 1987, offers new books, used books, and rare books in all subjects. Open every day. We swap and buy books, too.

Bookworm and Bookbag have 3 locations throughout the Sacramento area. Locations that include Fair Oaks, Rancho Cordova, and Carmichael.

Ruby’s Books is an inviting, community focused bookstore. We carry a highly curated selection of new books from many genres. We strive to create a space that will make readers of all ages want to come back again and again to fuel their love of books!

New and Used Books. Rad vinyl. $1 Coffee. Local Artwork.

Half-priced used books on the southwest corner of First & Herndon.

Fine books for toddlers, young adults, older young adults and adults. The only independent, locally owned book store in the entire San Joaquin Valley.

We pay cash for books, blu-rays, DVDs, manga, comics, CDs, records, textbooks, collectible texts and media, and anything else printed or recorded, and always sell them at half off the publisher's price or less! We also host open-mic poetry readings every other week, and Fire Sales every quarter.

One of the largest used bookstores in the SF Bay Area. We sell books, music, movies, calendars, games, software, art prints, and more!

We specialize in Armenian books, music, videos, cards, posters, and gifts. We also offer publishing and printing services. Please contact us for more information.

A vibrant center of our community, webring people together through books. Check out our other social media pages to stay up to date with's happening in the store.

Thousands of the most popular book titles at bargain prices, plus over 9,000 rare records!

Nan's Pre-Owned Books has been in business since 1987, and offers used books and used audio books. We can order new books upon request.

Four-Eyed Frog Books is an independent community-owned bookstore serving northern Sonoma and southern Mendocino Counties. We carry a variety of books for all readers, including best sellers and books on the local area and by local authors. We also have a great selection of calendars, greeting cards, puzzles, journals, and games, and host author events.

Serving Half Moon Bay since 1972, Coastside Books Inc carries a wide variety of cards , gifts, and books. Your one-stop shop of goodies.

We are an independent new & used bookstore in Half Moon Bay, CA on the corner Purissima and Kelly. We have toys, games, and a fun play area.

My Corazon is a shop full of familia, Amor y Cultura. We are proud to have merged our independent bookstore in our new location, offering something for everyone.

Books on B is Downtown Hayward's new bookstore. As we celebrate new, used, and rare reads, we also host events. Join Renée Rettig as she works to preserve a long legacy of booksellers in this community. 

A family-owned and operated independent bookstore in Healdsburg featuring an outstanding selection of fiction and nonfiction titles, as well as music CDs.

An independent mystery bookstore, specializing in author appearances and signed first editions.

With over 650,000 used and rare books, Hein & Co is one of the largest used book stores in California. We now feature used DVDs, CDs, console videogames and systems, as well as antiques and an entire 99-cent discount entertainment store.

Well Read Books is a bookstore that sells new and used books as well as book accessories such as Book Seats, booklights, and magnifiers. We also provide tutoring services to all ages and most subjects.

Space Cowboy Books is a used and new bookshop in Joshua Tree, California, specializing in science fiction. In addition to selling books and gifts, we host monthly poetry readings, book release parties, film screenings, writing workshops, and more. We also have a free books for kids program and are the producers of Simultaneous Times podcast.

Greeting cards, gifts, toys, games. Over 30,000 titles, children's, YA and adult. Author signings, Saturday morning story time and a full-service coffeehouse. Open 7 days per week and 360 days/year. Picked as the finest bookstore by the Crescenta Valley Weekly.

The UCSD Bookstore is YOUR local, independent bookstore & the OFFICIAL home of the latest Triton gear.

Originally founded in 1896 in Minnesota, Warwick's is a fourth generation-owned independent bookstore based in La Jolla, CA. After all, independent minds need independent bookstores!

Maxwell's House of Books opened in 2003 in La Mesa, California's downtown village. At Maxwell's, we stock over 30,000 titles, with special emphasis on: philosophy, literary criticism, history, science, art, literature, political science, psychology and sociology, and economics.

Bel and Bunna's Book: a literary wonderland for children and young adults, based in Lafayette, California.

We are a local, independent bookseller with the goal of nurturing literacy and critical thought.

We are a general interest bookstore located in the Old Pottery Place, in Laguna's historic HIP District. Our goal is to provide you with the most interesting community bookstore with superb selection and knowledgeable staff. We are open seven days a week and offer free parking and free gift wrap with any purchase.

We sell new and used books. New hardback releases always 20% off!

Gatsby Books offers a thoughtful selection of new and gently-used books at affordable prices. Our store is clean and well-organized with first-rate customer service and old-fashioned charm. If you love books, then you'll want to go to Gatsby!

Long Beach, CA bookstore offering "Fightin' words for mass defiance, empowerment, and self-reliance!"

The Shades Of Afrika: The Mind, Body, & Spirit store is a one stop shop to meet your needs holistically! We offer quality affordable body and hair care products in addition to a variety of food for thought nonfiction books. We carry world-class art, statues, figurines, handmade jewelry, and so much more.

Children, their parents, and teachers all love to visit Linden Tree to browse, shop, and enjoy our musician and author events. Our staff is here to assist you in finding the perfect book, CD, game, or gift certificate. In addition to fantastic children's literature, we carry a great selection of young adult and adult fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, and more! We also provide free weekly story times!