I really appreciated the help I received at Christopher's Books. The staff made the entire process remarkably easy and went to great lengths to source several rare books for me, including titles from a small press that aren't typically distributed in the U.S. They handled everything with care, knowledge, and impressive efficiency, keeping me informed throughout the process. I'm grateful for their time and expertise, and I look forward to coming back. read more

The sweetest bookstore on a quiet corner of Potrero Hill, sandwiched between pizza joints, cafés, and good places to sit and read. The proprietor is lovely and generous with her time, and will point you to whatever kinds of books you are looking for. She will even make recommendations depending upon your literary appetite. They are open into the evening and even on July 4!! Who doesn't love a great neighborhood bookstore?? support local everyone!! read more

Bookstores come and go in San Francisco. This bookstore located in Potrero Hill has been around for decades. This bookstore location became famous in the movie "Sweet November". The Charlize Theron character lived Nextdoor on the same block as the Christopher Bookstore (featured in the movie). Inside there a good selection of variety of books from different perspectives. The decor has a feel of historic and modern San Francisco. This bookstore has a diverse book collection that are insightful and creative A bookstore is great for tourists, transplants and even for a San Francisco native read more

See all

I LOVE small bookshops! This one on the corner in Potrero Hill (SF) is adorable! We hadn't planned on it, we had dinner at the French Restaurant across the street. ( Chez Maman -also sublime ). Anyway, after dinner we decided to check out Christopher's Books. . It was kind of busy for a weeknight, which is so cool. Love that people like to peruse books, actually feel books in their hand and turn pages. you are my people. So I walked the whole book store, they have a tiny children's section, my sister who is a teacher, and a new grandma , settled there and bought a few books. I saw a book that I had heard about (All Fours) and heard the author interviewed on the radio, I picked it up and settled on it. I love that they have little handwritten cards describing some of the books and that there are employees picks, and what they liked about the book. When we went up to make our purchases, that is when I learned of Jimmy Carter's death. ( he had died that day and I hadn't yet heard ). There was a little handwritten card with his books at the counter and the card said, Jimmy Carter - 1924-2024. I said, "Oh my God did Jimmy Carter die?" We chatted about what a wonderful man he was, dignified, honest, his service to the people, the Habitat for Humanity legacy. His love for his wife who had preceded him ..... I digress. Anyway, if you're in the neighborhood, and you love books, and quaint spaces, check it out! read more

Christopher's Books - Window display - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I love local bookstore shops like these. Nestled on a corner off Missouri and 18th, Christopher's Books opens their door for wanderers to enter. Though the space may appear small, I guarantee you will most likely find something that peaks your interest. There are a few stools to sit on to read / browse books, which I had done just that which helped me decide which books I couldn't put down and had to take home with me. Left with a book about writing, poetry, and a travel book. I am very happy with my purchases. Can't find what you're hoping they'd have in stock? No problem! They can place an order of the item(s) you want and have it delivered to the shop for pick-up :] Aside from books, they also have a unique selection of fun things like stickers, knickknacks, toys, cards, that make for fun gifts or things to get that would bring a smile to you or your friend's face. I thought the books I bought were fairly priced. There's also a member spending program. I kind of forgot how it worked, but they track how much you spend and if you reach $100 I think it was, you will receive $credit to use on the following purchase - something like that. Staff was kind, helpful, and approachable. read more

See all

the person that rang me up (today -- whoever you are, you're a delight) saw one of my book choices and said "so good!" and that was enough for me to be even more excited for my new read. pleasant and quaint and everything you want from a bookstore. they don't have something you'd like? ask them and they can order it. this place is everything for anyone that wants a true book store experience again. read more

I adore small local bookstores with calm atmospheres and a diverse selection of books, and Christopher's Books did not disappoint. While smaller than most, they carry a large variety of authors in the science fiction/fantasy literature section, which is admittedly the only section that I perused. They also have stools in the aisles handy for those (like me) who like to sample their books before purchasing. I live in the neighborhood and always stop by whenever I have the chance to see what new books have arrived. read more

Christopher's Books - the sign outside Christopher's Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

A piece of SF history! This cozy, local book store in Potrero Hill has been around for 30+ years now. It's filled with a fantastic collection, with an even more fantastic staff! I have asked for numerous recommendations and have never been let down. Share a few other books or TV shows you like and they'll recommend a winner. If they don't have a book you're looking for, send an email to them and they will order it at incredibly reasonable prices. Can't say enough positive things about it. read more

What a cute bookstore! They're located right in the heart of Potrero Hill, and they're the perfect place to while away the hours-long brunch wait each weekend. That's exactly what my husband and I did last weekend, and they have a wonderful selection of non-fiction, fiction (including romance!), graphic novels, kid's books, and more. The folks who work there are very friendly and knowledgable. Glad to have a local bookstore like this one! read more

Christopher's Books - The romance section - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Friendly service with helpful recommendations based on your preferred authors. Pop in and add to your home library!

I feel so lucky to have this cute, homey bookstore in my neighborhood. I love their focus on authors of color, and diversity in general. I found a beautiful queer Indian book here called Burning My Roti which was such a special find. Normally I go to bookstores to pick up books I already know I want, but I go to Christopher's find my next surprise read. 10/10 would recommend. P.s. they can order any book you want, and if you call ahead of time they can let you know if the book is in stock or not. read more

Great selection for local neighborhood bookstore :)! When in the area, check them out. Also, they happily ordered a book I needed for a class, which I promptly picked up a few days later. Excellent local resource ;)! read more

Very cute little bookstore we checked out while we waited for our breakfast reservation! Reasonable prices which are rare to find for a neighborhood bookstore. They will even gift wrap your purchases. I bought a SF neighborhood guide that I love! read more

Christopher's Books - Cute little bookstore. We walked around while we waiting for our table to be called at Cracked and Battered. - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you are looking for a cozy, friendly neighborhood bookstore, this place is where you should visit. It has good selections for books and many new/feature books have commentaries provided by the owner which is a very nice touch. Be sure to check this place out when you are in the area! read more

Christopher's Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great neighborhood bookstore. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, nice selection and environment to browse. I stop by after getting coffee at nearby Farley's (also great) and get my monthly book recommendation. read more

On a chilly night, I was warmly greeted by the lady at the counter. She was helpful in explaining about an illustrated edition of a children's classic. They have a great kids section, and games. Check out the cookbooks, which are varied. The new fiction area was extensive, and they have a good selection of poetry and books translated into English. One could spend hours perusing the sections of this cozy shop. I recommend you visit it when you're in Potrero Hill! read more

Tiny little gem of an independent bookstore. What it lacks in selection (it is postage stamp small) it makes up for in service and in curation. In this charming, corner Victorian storefront, you will find almost every other book they feature is something you might want to haul on out of here and into your home library. I found myself still in their frequent reader system after several years out of town (do these files never get purged?!?) making me feel almost like a local again. read more

Christopher's Books - The shelves at Christopher's Books. - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Christopher's is my favorite independent bookstore. I have been going here for almost 20 years (!). The staff is lovely and super helpful. In addition to books, Christopher's has great gifts too. I used to go here before young children's birthday parties - to grab a book and a small gift. My children love hanging out at Christopher's as much as I do. A true SF gem. read more

Delightful neighborhood bookshop - this is a perfect fit and filled with gems. Congratulations on your 25 years and thank you for the celebration! We had a grand time with you all this evening with the BEST cookies and wine...tacos and It's Its...and great music! Thank you! read more

See all

I love small independent bookstores, and this one is quite small. Great browsing spot - I walked away with a graphic arts book on fonts...because it looked interesting (and it was). Great little neighborhood on the hilltop, with Mac Daddy and other restaurants right across the street. read more

Christopher's Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place was awesome. It is a small corner bookstore. Don't let my "small" description scare you away! It's very spacious inside and clean. They have such a good selection of books. I saw so many books I wanted. They carry lots of new popular books plus older good ones. I went in looking for a popular historical fiction book that came out a few years ago and they totally had it! I was so happy, not even B&N carried it. Also they were very friendly. It was nice chitchatting with the nice woman at the register. I can't wait to go back. read more

Stopped by this wonderful little bookshop on a warm Saturday in the city after hiking up to get a coffee across the street. It isn't a big shop, but they have a really excellent selection. There are new releases right as you come in, and then literature and fiction in the back. They also have an extensive travel section in the middle. The clerks working there interacted with us pleasantly, making some suggestions based on things we said we liked. I'm glad to see the other good reviews because this seems like such a great shop. I don't usually buy new books (opting instead to support my library and buy used), but I really wanted to support this shop since it is so obviously operated with love and care for books. In some parallel dream world, I'd like to think that I work here and live around the corner. read more

Small corner bookstore. Stock is limited They didn't have anything that was on my list. But it's a cute shop for browsing. It's nice to see any bookstore still in business these days. read more

It must be SOO hard to run a tiny retail bookstore. You can't compete with the internet in terms of selection or in terms of price, so what do you do? You can try to have a brilliantly curated selection that inspires people to buy books they otherwise wouldn't-- but so few people read books in the first place that most of your customers probably read literary press, and you won't surprise them. The alternative is service. And Christopher's Books really delivers on that front. The proprietress happily answered our many questions about the neighborhood (where she'd spent most of her life)-- it made me really hope she continues to thrive. read more

Cute bookstore. The owner/person at the register was quite knowledgeable. Definitely visit this place and maybe pick the Dune books (wink wink). read more

Christopher's Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Customer service is amazing. it's a small cozy neighborhood spot with a wide selection of all the latest and greatest.

Great little bookstore, it was hard to walk out without bancrupting myself! Staff seem friendly enough.

CB has become my favorite bookstore in the Bay Area -- which is saying something, given (a) the relative health of indie bookstores here (compared to other cities/regions) and (b) that I live in Berkeley, once the Mecca of indie bookstores hereabouts. Staff is very friendly and responsive to requests, are sharp readers and book aficionados, and generally a cool bunch. read more

So I happened to come across this quaint little place while waiting for brunch over at Plow just a couple blocks down the street. My friend and I had about an hour to kill and my love for literature immediately gravitated toward this particular street corner. The place has a decent selection of books for its diminutive size, though I ended up mostly skimming through the non-fiction novel section. It was one of those places where, at least because I'm not from the area, I figured I should at least buy something from them. After almost settling for a Kafka book for the hell of it, this meta-science fiction novel caught my eye and I instantly knew I had to buy it. I kinda felt like I was going to experience something like that in this type of store. Anyway, the customer service was really nice and they gave us these complimentary bookmarks which had the perfect amount of whimsy that I like. If I lived closer I would definitely come by more often when I'm in the mood to shelf dig. read more

Christopher's Books - Here's the bookmark they gave - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

We like to go to Christopher's Books after eating dinner at Eliza's, so we can get a bit of walking in. Just up the street from Eliza's. http://www.yelp.com/biz/WYG_WDVtxZzFyrHt_s3miQ A quiant little bookstore, open late at night, always a great place to pass the time for a bit. read more

Christopher's Books - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Super helpful staff and nice selection for an independent book store. Purchased two Dr. Seuss hard covers and had them gift wrapped in seconds for my cousin. Will definitely be back! read more

Christopher's Books - Lovely gift wrapping. - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great neighborhood bookstore with a wide range of books -- fiction, nonfiction, travel, food, kids. Knowledgeable and helpful staff too. And if they don't have a title in stock they can order it and get it in a couple of days. Highly recommended. read more

I pre-ordered and picked up most of the Harry Potter books as they were released at this precious store. I have memories of being a little girl and huddling in the kids corner trying to decide which book to bring home. This is your neighborhood book store with homey vibes that every neighborhood WISHED they could have! Support your local bookseller! read more

As obvious by its diminutive size, Christopher's is no Borders or Barnes & Noble. But for the limited room they have available, the variety are quality of what's stocked is excellent. If there's any book you want that they don't have, they would be happy to order it for you. The owner is an incredible human being, and all the staff are super knowledgeable and helpful. And they have free gift wrapping to boot! BUY LOCAL!! read more

Another winner. Visit before or after a visit to Farley's. Why, must one ask? Because your visit would so warrant the purchase of a book prior to taking a seat at the neighborhood coffee joint. After your caffeine wake up call? Alleviate the liquid high by the mental consumption of a nice book. Christopher's Books is another tried and true fixture in Potrero Hill and I'm so happy to see that it has yet to fall victim to the crop of independent book stores disappearing in the city. Located on a corner and on the busy street of 18th, the twinkling lights play a "come hither" invitation to diners waiting in line at Eliza's or Chez Maman. In my case? I had just finished a cup of coffee at Farley's and still had an hour to go prior to a dinner party so what better way than to peruse stacks of inviting books. Now I must confess, I am in no way prepared to take on yet another book. My "to read" shelf groans under the stress of purchased books and I had taken a slight detour recently to push through the pages of a Larsson novel. Henry James and James Joyce grit their frustrations at me, from a distance. I can feel the literary eyes in my back each pass I make. A good variety of books, literature and nonfiction. I'm not a big fan of nonfiction, but the cooking section tempts. I've recently began baking sweet breads for parties, given the drop in temperatures, but once Spring peeks around the corner, there is nothing better than a sweet lemon cupcake with a vanilla glaze that beckons for a picnic. My recent foray into City Lights ended in the purchase of Howl by Ginsberg and since that had recently taken up stock on the shelf, I was forced, by choice, to not purchase anything today. In the future? Absolutely. Books are my undoing, as are Louboutins to some. read more

Full disclosure: I started working at Christopher's recently. I've been coming here since the early 90s when i moved on the Hill and it remains as friendly, well-stocked and fun as my first day here. I could rarely leave without bringing something home. Looking around the store the other day, seeing the shelves and drawers fairly overflowing with potential new reads, I thought to myself, "This place has a lot of heart." Always did. read more

I love small bookstores like this!! The smell of the books, coziness of being surrounded by walls of books and leisurely perusing the shelves...that's something that Amazon can never capture and I hope these guys can survive with that. Even though we have a Kindle, I encourage my kids to open a book and read one. I think there's something about turning the pages and over the weeks, physically seeing yourself progress through a book makes you a more active reader. Had a dinner run late and I wanted to pick a few books for my son. Most places were closed at 8:30 on a Sun night but a quick Yelp search brought up this lil shop that was open to 9pm. Raced over and got in the door. Quickly apologizing and letting the shop keeper, Ben, know we would be quick. Ben was super sweet and told us to take our time and meant it. We were there until 9:30 and not once did we feel rushed. I had asked Ben if he could recommend some titles for my son and he really took time to find out what he liked, suggested a couple different genres and giving him some idea of the story. As with most teenagers, they are not always receptive to adult input but Ben was great in how he interacted. My son ended up picking up two books, "Ready Player One" and "Hounded" which was almost 2 weeks ago and he has been completely engrossed. Finishing the first and eagerly starting the other. He has said that he wants to go back and let Ben know that he really liked his recommends and to get more. So Ben if you are reading we will be back and you have done your part to excite a young mind about reading, HUGE thank you!! read more

Ordered a set of four books, one was out of print, and service was exceptional as usual. All four arrived within a few days. I love the staff reviews on the books on display, thoughtful and thorough. Christopher's staff is universally friendly, happy to share reviews or not as you prefer. Meebo, my dog, loves the bookstore because they offer her a biscuit each time she visits. Prices are more than amazon but there is a point system with discounts based on purchased amounts. read more

If you happen to be stuck without a present at 9pm on a Sunday; if you happen to have a 45 minute wait at Chez Papa; if you happen to be taking a walk on Potrero Hill; if you happen to have a hankering for something/anything literary; if you want to hang out, just leafing through stuff with your 5 year old; ...then I would have to say that Christopher's Books is most definitely for you. It's got a great selection, and T is probably the kindest/wisest bookseller I've ever had the pleasure to meet. She ALWAYS manages to help me search out the perfect hard-bound gift imaginable, and special orders certainly don't upset her (kinda like Burger King but without all the grease). Yes, you'll have it your way in more ways than one here, a perfect cure to any dreary/rainy Sunday afternoon. Plus you can never forget the hours: 10am-10pm EVERY DAY. PS: I love this place. read more

Forget Amazon and head down to Christopher's Books to get a solid selection of books for the young and old alike, great recommendations and super service. If they don't have it, they will get it for you and call you as soon as it arrives; usually just a day or two. They also have a frequent buyer program that gives discounts after you purchase so many books. The shop is small enough that you can bring your kids and they can look at children's books while you are a couple of isles over looking at NY Times best sellers. Christopher's Books makes for a great gift certificate too! read more