ABOUT TOWN / LA BOOKSTORES
there are few things more luxurious then wasting away a couple of hours in a bookstore, skimming the shelves, perching yourself on the floor or a chair and thumbing through the pages, and grabbing a couple of books to bring home. it’s the way bookstores smell, how everyone is in their own little world, silently discovering something new or talking in hushed voices. they’re peaceful and magical and something that all too often gets overlooked. so today, we’re talking about our favorite LA bookstores!
right next to a great coffee shop, bru, this is a neighborhood favorite. i love that they have a tree growing in the center of the store! although this isn’t the biggest bookstore, their selection is well curated.
vromans
this place is two floors and packed with great books. it’s also right next door to the laemmle theater. a perfect place to pop in while you wait for your movie to start. they have an excellent children’s section and a coffee shop to boot!
stories books and cafe
in the heart of echo park, they have a cute little cafe in the back and plenty of seating. they welcome the studiers and chatters alike but note that this place can get a little noisy sometimes.
see the whole list after the jump!
the last bookstore
the last bookstore is kind of a fantasy land for book lovers. it’s a huge space in downtown, california’s largest independent used and new book and record store. the top floor holds the craziest labyrinth of used books that are all $1. walk through book tunnels and rainbows upstairs, or head downstairs where you can browse records and even take a step into an old bank vault full of rare, classic books. it’s a must-see for bookaholics!
they just opened up their new location in downtown LA. this bookstore caters to the art & architecture crowd. their books are on the pricey side but that’s normal for the subject matter they’re dealing in. still a great place to stop by and getting inspired, even if you can’t afford to buying anything.
this is a gem of a bookstore. they have lots of cool events and the layout is so cozy. you can pick up a great gift here as well, journals, cards. etc. they also have really good staff recommendations and a hard to find magazines.
arcana used to be a go to little spot for extra special, one of a kind art books on the 3rd street promenade in santa monica. it moved to a new location near the helm’s bakery complex in culver city and is now a much larger, very comprehensive version of it’s former self.
a cute little boutique bookstore in the fairfax district, you can find lots and lots of zines in addition to hand made, self published and small runs of special project books. a great place for unique reading materials and finding the perfect book gift for the friend that has it all.
also see our favorite LA coffee spots
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