The best independent bookstores in Los Angeles

This much-cherished, cozy neighborhood bookstore in Los Feliz—centered around its iconic ficus tree—strikes a neat balance between intellectual crowd-pleasers and more unusual fare, including a large selection of local zines. After opening in the mid-’90s, the store bucked book-industry trends by expanding into neighboring premises. It now houses readings and signings with the most buzzworthy authors in today’s literary scene. (Tip: If you miss a reading, check the website for a podcast version.) And, exciting news: After 30 years in Los Feliz, Skylight is about to open a second location in Eagle Rock. 

Order from Skylight Books online.

Address: 1818 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Opening hours: Daily 10am–10pm

If the Last Bookstore in Downtown L.A. were really our last bookstore, the city’s literary scene would still be in good shape. It’s one of the best independent bookstores in L.A.—not to mention the world’s most-Instagrammed bookstore. Now housed in what used to be an old bank building (complete with marble columns and giant doors), the store first began in a loft apartment. Today, it’s as popular for its stellar book selection as it is for its labyrinth of literary photo ops. The mezzanine level is where you’ll find the iconic tunnel of books, plus tons of $1 tomes and gallery space showcasing local artists. You can sell or trade old books here, pick up new ones, grab a record or a cup of joe, and attend a myriad of events including readings, book signings and live music. If you’re outside of DTLA, make sure to check out the plant-filled Lost Books offshoot in Montrose—plus a newer Last Bookstore location in the Valley, which offers 500,000 books and zen vibes. 

Order from the Last Bookstore online.

Address: Downtown: 453 S Spring St,
Los Angeles, CA 90013; Studio City: 4437 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood,
CA 91602

Opening hours: Downtown: Daily 11am–8pm; Studio City: Sun 10am–7pm, Mon–Thu 10am–8pm, Fri, Sat 10am–11pm

The largest and oldest independent bookshop in Southern California was founded over a century ago and continues to provide welcome competition to the big-box options in the San Gabriel Valley. The stock is strong and the staff is very helpful. They sell so much (too much?) more than books throughout the massive two-story space: music, luggage, jewelry, cookware and candles, plus there’s a coffee shop and literary-inspired bar built in (order the sake-based Pride and Pearjudice). Keep an eye out for the regular readings and the book signings—over the years, the shop has welcomed everyone from Dr. Seuss to Joan Didion to recent luminaries like Ottessa Moshfegh.

Order from Vroman’s online.

Address: 695 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101

Opening hours: Sun 10am–7pm, Mon–Sat 10am–9pm

The variety of stock at Book Soup is huge and diverse, even if the space itself is a little squeezed (it’s easy to get lost!). Its newsstand is well-stocked with domestic and international papers and magazines, while the floor-to-ceiling shelves are packed with tomes specializing in art, film, photography, music, controversial nonfiction and literary fiction. Tip: Make sure to check out the impressive section on L.A. history, architecture and lore. The store is actually siblings with Vroman’s now—in 2009 when Book Soup founder Glenn Goldman passed away, the Pasadena favorite purchased Book Soup to keep it from closing, and they remain connected, even under new ownership.

Order from Book Soup online.

Address: 8818 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Opening hours: Sun 10am–7pm, Mon–Sat 10am–9pm

Stories Books & Cafe is a funky, cozy spot off Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, with new and used titles packed floor to ceiling. There’s a little cafe in the back with decent coffee and pastries, and an outdoor patio popular with the freelance crowd. If you’re looking for an obscure title, chances are they’ll have it here. There’s also a good selection of gift-y things such as greeting cards, coloring books, magnets and mugs. Regular events include readings, signings and free comedy nights from big names. They’re also one of the only spots in town where you can still sell your used books. 

Order from Stories online.

Address: 1716 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Opening hours: Daily 9am–9pm

A family-friendly staple on the idyllic main stretch of Montrose, Once Upon a Time is the oldest dedicated children’s bookstore in the country (it opened 60 years ago!). There are tons of books for kids of all ages, as well as a curated selection for parents to browse while kids flip through picture books in the red-barn-shaped playhouse. There’s a full calendar of family-friendly programming, including PJ story times every Friday morning. Throughout the decades, it’s maintained its magic and the power to instill imagination and a love of reading in little ones—just like it did for me when I spent many afternoons there as a kid. It’s been joined in recent years by a new literary neighbor, the Last Bookstore’s Lost Books, farther down on Honolulu Avenue.

Order from Once Upon a Time online.

Address: 2207 Honolulu Ave, Montrose, CA 91020

Opening hours: Sun 11am–4pm, Mon–Sat 10am–6pm

Run by a husband-and-wife team, A Good Used Book has quickly become a local favorite since it opened in Echo Park Village in 2023. In addition to an expertly curated selection of used books—bins of shrink-wrapped paperbacks in pristine condition make you feel like you’re flipping through an exciting record collection—along with some new editions, the bookstore hosts markets spotlighting local retailers and food vendors each weekend, cementing its spot as a beloved part of the community. 

Order from A Good Used Book online.

Address: 307 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Opening hours: Wed–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 10am–5pm, closed Mon, Tue

Order from Diesel online.

Address: 225 26th St, Suite 33, Santa Monica, CA 90402

Opening hours: Sun 10am–5pm, Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat 10am–6pm

A neighborhood fixture since 1940, Chevalier's Books is actually Los Angeles’s oldest indie bookstore—beloved by generations of Hancock Park families and Larchmont Village locals. The bookstore has a large section dedicated to children's books—with Sunday storytimes at 11am—but has something for everyone, including a great selection of cookbooks. You’ll also find author talks, book signings and a queer and ally book club.

Order from Chevalier’s Books online.

Address: 133 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Opening hours: Daily 10am–6pm

Down a tiny corridor off Sunset is an adorable old house, home of Mystery Pier Books, Inc. Being in this bookshop is like being at a museum where you get to buy the exhibits—beautiful, rare first editions, collectibles, out-of-print and signed books populate these shelves. Accordingly, it boasts a loyal client roster of dozens of A-listers. The staff here are more like gracious hosts than salespeople and have the answer to literally any question about their stock and beyond. If you have a collector’s item in mind, this is the place to find it. Mystery Pier is just down the street from Book Soup, so you can hit both stores in the same day (we think you’ll walk out of here a bit more wowed, if a bit more broke).

Order from Mystery Pier Books, Inc. online.

Address: 8826 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Opening hours: Sun noon–5pm, Mon–Sat 11am–6pm

A pioneer of modern comic retailing, Secret Headquarters was one of the first shops to create an inviting environment to buy, read and talk comics. This formerly Silver Lake, now Atwater Village comic book and graphic novel shop—which has been in business 20 years—carries shelf upon shelf of comic books, as well as beautiful art books and local zines. If you’re into illustrated stories, this is the place to go—the shopkeepers will geek out with you over the newest issue of Aquaman or the sophomore effort of a graphic novelist. They can also recommend great gift suggestions for the more geeky-inclined on your list. You can also sell your own comic collection here.

Order from Secret Headquarters online.

Address: 3137 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Opening hours: Daily 11am–7pm

Though you’ll find some enviable boutique kitchenware on the table at the center of the store, this Far East Plaza shop’s most impressive wares are its literary offerings. Now Serving is stocked with an unparalleled selection of food magazines and cookbooks from around the globe, and it’s simply the destination for food-related book talks. 

Order from Now Serving online.

Address: 727 N Broadway, #133, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Opening hours: Sun noon–5pm; Mon, Tue 11am–5pm; Thu–Sat 11am–6pm; Wed by appointment

Nestled amid the clothing boutiques and coffee shops on Studio City’s bustling stretch of Ventura Boulevard (and a block down from the Bookstar Barnes & Noble) is this inviting bookstore with its pink facade—a picture-perfect shop prime for the BookTok era. Founded in 2022 by 19-year-old Annabelle Chang, the store specializes in YA fiction but carries adults’ and children’s books as well, alongside cute, giftable bookish goods.

Order from Annabelle’s Book Club L.A. online.

Address: 12200 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

Opening hours: Tue–Sun 11am–6pm, closed Mon

Surrounded by bad beach food and the throngs of people of the Venice Beach Boardwalk, this little family-owned shop has offered an oasis of literary calm for 50 years. Their local author selection is right up front, so check out the local talent before perusing the aisles, where you’ll find a number of hard-to-find independent imprints, along with the more usual suspects. You’ll find it behind the Sidewalk Cafe, which resides along the tented walkway in front of the shop; your book purchase will even get you a discount at the cafe.

Order from Small World Books online.

Address: 1407 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

Opening hours: Daily 10am–8pm

Order from Hennessey + Ingalls online.

Address: 300 S Santa Fe Ave, Suite M, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Opening hours: Daily 11am–7pm

When sisters Leah Koch and Bea Hodges-Koch opened the Ripped Bodice a decade ago in Culver City following a successful Kickstarter campaign, it was the very first romance bookstore in the Northern Hemisphere. It was such a hit that, in 2023, they opened a second location in Brooklyn. The proudly woman- and queer-owned shop stocks swoon-worthy tomes of all genres, from paranormal and historical romances to spicier erotica—with lots of inclusive LGBTQ+ titles—that will make you fall in love with reading all over again.

Order from the Ripped Bodice online.

Address: 3806 Main St, Culver City, CA 90232

Opening hours: Sun 10am–7pm, Mon–Fri 11am–7pm, Sat 10am–8pm

This art and design book showroom is housed in the Arts District’s Hauser & Wirth gallery and has some of best and most beautiful titles in the genre, including an extensive collection of books on artists’ oeuvres, photography, architecture, film, music, fashion and culture. Right when you walk in, there’s a display of L.A.-centric books; you’ll also find a curated selection of literature and poetry, gifts for budding bookworms and artists, and racks upon racks of cool postcards. Anything you buy here will instantly make you 10% more cultured.

Order from Artbook online.

Address: 917 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Opening hours: Tue–Sun 11am–6pm, closed Mon

Steps from the rushing traffic on Pacific Coast Highway is this unassuming storefront on the perimeter of the Malibu Village mall. The woman-owned bookshop is an outpost of Lido Village Books in Newport Beach, and when it opened in 2023, it was the first independent bookstore to open in Malibu in 15 years. If you want a break from the area’s high-end cafes and designer boutiques, duck around the corner and into the small but expertly curated shop for a hand-picked selection of fiction, cookbooks, YA novels and kids’ books.

Order from Malibu Village Books online.

Address: 23359 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Opening hours: Daily 11am–6pm

Stocked with more than 100,000 rare, obscure and out-of-print volumes—not to mention a staff that’s eager to help you track down exactly what you’re looking for—this art, photography and design book emporium in Culver City, open since 1984, ought to keep you busy for at least a few hours.

Order from Arcana online.

Address: 8675 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Opening hours: Wed–Sun 11am–7pm, closed Mon, Tue

Pop-Hop is an intimate bookstore and print shop that specializes in fiction, art and new works from local presses. Books are lined up on wooden shelves on rolling casters, like an elementary school library. Behind the bookcases, a small studio holds workshops that teach analog skills like screen-printing, zine-making, baby sign language and more. The shop and co-op aims to provide a needed third space for authors, artists and activists. 

Order from the Pop-Hop online.

Address: 5002 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042

Opening hours: Sun, Mon, Wed–Sat 11am–7pm, closed Tue