I visited Century Books after reading about the bookstore in the Business section of today's Los Angeles Times. I loved this bookstore from the moment I stepped foot inside. The owners--Steve and Judith, a delightful Hungarian couple--are so thoughtful and welcoming. Not that annoying, forced cordiality from department store sales people pushing you to make a purchase. Judith offered me water, a chair, a seat cushion while I browsed. I ended up staying for wine and cookbook talk upstairs by a chef from Old Town Cooking School. Afterward, I purchased several ballet and figure drawing books, used but in very good condition at very affordable prices. Steve, who is also an artist, took notice of my purchase and suggested I check out some of the drawing videos from Central Library in downtown Los Angeles. I hope Century Books stays open at least another century! read more

Finally stopped by this afternoon to check out the lay of the land. Met Judith and she was sooo engaging and friendly! Great selection of performing arts books, jewelry made by a local artist (I bought a bracelet). The upstairs area is utilized for live music performances. I'll be a regular visitor. read more

More than just another used book store, Century Books offers charm and character to the streets of Pasadena. Along with the tremendous selection of books, the live jazz and art showings add a dash of community and culture. The owners are as warm and inviting as the store itself. A real treat you'll want to savor and enjoy on your own or with friends. read more

I visited this bookstore after having tea at Madeline's (which is right across the street). The woman in the front was so sweet. She greeted us and offered us water and said she was there if we had any questions. She made us feel very comfortable and I would definitely go back again. read more

Lots of books and the couple who own the place Are very kind. They gave me a bottle of water when I walked in and brought me a chair to sit in when I started getting into a book. Highly recommend checKing this place out. read more

Cute little book shop! The owners are super nice and try their best to make you feel at home! Definitely coming back! ^.^

Talk about great customer service, the husband and wife duo really go out of their way to help you find what you are looking for, and if they don't have it, they'll refer you to another book store. Who does that? Only people that are passionate about books and the people who avidly read them. I went there looking for one book, but I ended up leaving with three, that's they type of quality they have shelved there, so you won't be disappointed. It's a small place, but it has character and charm. There's an upstairs with a small gallery, and when I was there, there was a dude playing the classical guitar and was absolutely killing it! So they have live music going on there sometimes, and small speaking forums. I also dig how they close at 11:30 on Saturdays, that way I can really take my time and gradually ransack the place to find something interesting. They have a dedicated customer in me without a doubt. read more

I used to wander into this store on lunch breaks, buying books for myself and others. Great variety. Small store. Estate sale gems. I love theology, and Literature classics. The last time I found such estate sale gems, ws when I worked in Westwood Village, & spent my lunch break in one of the UCLA used book sections. The husband & wife couple are goooood people!!! They'll talk, but also leave you quietly to read or browse. They also have weekend art shows, small concerts, & treats. I always received emails for events. Often the events were to keep the store open, because of rising prices in a prime area, and the push to close, physical bookstores. Yet they persist. The buildings on this street were all once used by Albert Einstein for classes and research. It's very close to Cal Tech. The brick, the lights, rugs, hardwood, natural light, and the lovely people make the store always feel like home. I haven't been lately. I need to go back. Great prices! Never disappoints. read more

Kind and understanding staff, eclectic collection, and a comfy couch to relax on. A rare gem in Pasadena. Definitely worth a visit.

Love this cozy little bookshop! A very good selection of used books & and the proprietors are extremely helpful and friendly. It's intimate gems like this shop that make Pasadena such a great place to live! read more

I found this magical place last weekend and I revisited today. The owner is so kind, full of knowledge and the books she carries are just so amazing. I bought 50 years old beautiful Ukiyoe book last week and I bought a 90 years old kids book today with very affordable price. The owner told me they'll have some events on the weekends I love music and lectures so I must come back to the store for that. If you love books and history, this is the place you must visit. Thank you so much for always kind to me and my kids Century Books! read more

This is such a great shop. There is a Great selection of books, it is reasonably priced, and the owners are the nicest people.

Can't say enough wonderful things about this bookstore. Love the selection of books and it's not expensive at all. The best is Judith. She's so helpful and sweet which makes each visit outstanding. Another great thing is their jazz nights upstairs, you must stop by! read more

Century Bookstore at 1039 East Green Street in Pasadena is the best find this year! It's a "real" bookstore with lovely, knowledgable owners, Judith and Steve. They really and truly know authors and books! Judith knows the authors I like and she calls me from time to time to inform me of books she obtained specifically for my consideration!! Judith & Steve also support local artists by providing gallery space and host evenings of art, music and light refreshments! Please stop by at your earliest convenience...you will be so happy you did!! read more

Wonderful book store I have ever come across! Great collection and when I couldn't find something I was looking for, they checked with one of their competitors and reserved the book for me!! Passion is what drives them!! Love them!! read more

This book store is a hidden gem of Pasadena! Warm and welcoming vibe as soon as you walk in! They carry a great variety of books and showcase local art upstairs. The best part is the live jazz on Saturday nights!!! read more

Super friendly and even though they didn't have the book I was looking for, the shop owner checked other local bookstores to see if it was in stock there. Definitely going to go back when I'm around the area since it has a good collection of books. read more

Great places to hang out, read on a couch, browse their big selection of used books. Owner's are lovely people and really made something special. Come hang out. They also have live jazz and wine on saturdays!! read more

A True Hidden Gem in Pasadena! One of my favorite bookstores! They often have a wonderful selection of unique books that I can't find at other bookstores. The wonderful owners will go out of their way to make you feel very comfortable and help you locate a book even if it is not in their store! They have an art gallery on the second floor and events! Check them out and enjoy! read more

I was so impressed by this shop. Judith and Mike were so kind and so helpful, even as they just moved locations and no doubt had lots of work to do. Aside from their company, I was also thrilled with the quality of books that they carry- everything I saw was in great condition and priced really well. I ending up leaving with Steve Martin's autobiography and the last three Harry Potter books for $15- all of which I would place in the gently used to like new category. This shop, and its owners, are gems, and I'm excited to return. read more

Century Books is located just a bit west of the corner of Wilson Ave. on Green Street. There is ample parking on this stretch of Green Street, and there are good restaurants and boutique shops nearby, but the star of the neighborhood is this very comforting shop which handles primarily second-hand books and hosts live jazz nights and mini art gallery shows in their loft. Judith and Steve are incredibly nice and knowledgable, and can seemingly recall their inventory at will. What they don't have in stock, they are willing to track down and have repeatedly been able to quickly restock out of print titles regardless of how esoteric. The shop is tidy, well-lit and exceptionally well organized, but also offers sections of mixed-genre titles that are clearly curated rather than randomly arranged. The prices are low and the books are clean. They even have a selection of free books. I rarely enter without purchasing something and I always leave with a smile. This is fine shop run by wonderful people. A bit of trivia: Century Books is located right downstairs from Albert Einstein's former office. read more

This bookstore has a terrific selection and great prices, and as other reviewers have mentioned, the owners are wonderful and knowledgeable. Like many independent bookstores, however, it's struggling to stay open. So I hope people will drop by and purchase a few books so we can keep this local gem in business. It's open evenings and a perfect place to walk to after dinner or before a movie. read more

Quality New and Second Hand bookshop: Friendly, Informed Owners My wife and I came upon this wonderful bookshop by chance today on our way back from visiting the Huntingdon library. I was impressed by the quality and range of new and second-hand books on display. Bookshops like this are hard to find today but what makes this one stand out is that the owners know the book-industry and tailor their buying accordingly for the clientele in Pasadena. They also have "live" music events from time to time, and even though we are currently on vacation the owners kindly invited us to a a jazz evening this Saturday night . And, to crown it all, they also provided us with bottled water as we browsed among the bookshelves! I was interested in the Religious section and saw a number of books that were very relevant for my needs. Highly recommend this bookshop for bibliophiles. read more

Literally one of my favorite spots to find either out of print books or just great reads! Great prices and the quality is superb! Definitely a gem in Pasadena! read more

I love popping into Century Books - they have a great collection & books are really well-priced. Judith & Steve, the owners, are so kind & helpful - it's always good to see them again. On Saturday nights they have jazz & now classical too - (I'm thrilled to hear!) they have quite livened up Pasadena altogether. They have an events programme regularly with art shows & all kinds of treats - the place has a lovely atmosphere which can only be due to such lovely pple! read more

Pasadena has several used bookstores. The overall cultural experience of Century Books is wonderful. Owners Judith and Steve from Hungary make great efforts to find books for their customers, even searching the internet or suggesting Mega-Book establishments that have driven many independent shops out of business. Strengths include 20th century history and literature, World War I, classics, and religion. Surprises are European high culture, letters and memoirs, also academic books from university presses. Prices are reasonable especially if you buy more than one! Check website for opening hours, and enjoy your visit. read more

Such a sweet place. The owner is nice, she kept offering us water, pillows to sit comfortably on the floor, and talking about the cool events she had going on. Definitely coming back! The only bad thing I can say is that on Saturdays it's only open in the evenings. read more

The owners here are the best. Incredibly friendly and helpful. They have a great selection of books - vintage and new in a variety of categories, and a cool art gallery upstairs. Definitely going to come back for their events and lecture series. read more

One of Pasadena's best-kept secrets. Charming selection with a small art gallery upstairs and wonderful owners.

What a great place. The owners are personable and you know that they care. They care about the fact that you walked in the door, they care about books, they care about creating a unique intelligent atmosphere. There book collection is really great too and the prices are better than online because, hey, no shipping!! Go here and it will make you feel good about the world. read more

This delightful little used book store has an old world feel and a great selection of books. We often go there on Saturday nights, when they have free jazz concerts and wine. read more

This is an amazing bookstore and the owners are very VERY kind. They were 15 minutes from opening when I arrived but the woman working opened early for me as she saw me standing out front. They were in the process of re organizing and their children's book section was closed off but the owner kindly opened it, offered me water and set up a chair and pillow so I could be comfortable as I looked. She even gave me one of the books free as "my gift to you". I truly appreciate such customer care and will be back in the near future! read more

The guy working there was very sweet. He helped me photography books, but since they didn't have a large collection told me to go to a different bookstore he recommended. He also asked if I wanted water or anything. Great service. read more

This place is truly amazing. It's a tiny little book store, minutes away from Caltech/PCC that is the dream for most book lovers. The owners Judith and Steve are lovely people and are always very hospitable and welcoming. If you have any questions, they are more than helpful in trying to find you the book that you need. The jazz nights are lively and the gallery is always filled with impressive work. I would highly recommend a visit; it is one of my favorite places to come to when I need to flip through pages and unwind read more

Steve and Judith are the best! If they don't have a requested book, they will try to get it for you locally. Decor is bookshelves lined with books. A real asset for the community, and they deserve our support. read more

This bookstore has very charming owners and the atmosphere of a book store you might find on a street in Notting Hill. Well worth a visit for those two reasons. However, most importantly, the books that are offered are ones that you pick up and say to yourself, "oh yes, I've been meaning to read this for years!". This bookstore reminds me of the first days of the Tattered Cover bookshop in Denver, way back when, a small but very bright gem. Century Books has the benefit that the books are used but like new, so the prices are very tempting. read more

Beautiful place in every which way. We were there on a Saturday night - where they had live music and art show. We browsed thru the store, enjoyed the music and the warm and comfort of books! Highly recommend for all book lovers! Visit, take a friend and recommend it - I can go on and on ..... We're still smiling from the experience! read more

A relaxing place to look for used books including (my favourite) classics and contemporary fiction. There's a whole shelf devoted to Shakespeare--warms the soul to see. I hope many people patronize this bookstore so it can become a permanent fixture in Pasadena! read more

You will not find a better bookstore. Nor will you find proprietors more welcoming, knowledgeable, helpful, and generous. "Century Books" is a true Pasadena gem. read more

We just got back from visiting this bookstore for the second time, having discovered it one night after dinner at Cafe Verde, and we decided we needed to write a review right away. I'm so glad to see there are already so many good reviews here! We can only echo what the other reviewers have said: these two lovely Hungarians have obviously put this shop together as a labor of love, and have the most interestingly eclectic mix of books we've seen in a long time. Their prices are so good, and they know their stuff. Some fascinating German finds! Tonight we just happened in when they had an excellent jazz musician playing, and a nice art exhibition on at the same time.Two other people were there! Sigh. The proprietors really want to have an INTERESTING place for people to come. read more