While exploring LA's Arts District someone suggested that I check out The Last Bookstore then…read morehesitated when I asked if I could walk there. I could, she said, but with temperatures approaching 100 degrees and the possibility of walking through some seriously uncharming blocks, she suggested that I might not wish to. I walked there anyhow and all was fine. The Last Bookstore is quite a treat, especially if you take the time to head to the second floor. It's on this floor where you'll find a plethora of intriguing artwork as well as a mind-boggling array of used books. What else might you find? A porthole constructed of books, a tunnel constructed of books, and a sitting room where you'll be surrounded by books about infamous murderers. (I might be wrong on that last one, but while I sat in that room, those were the books I saw). There's so many used books up there that I found myself having to move a stack of books just to get to the stack behind it that I wanted to root through. Thousands upon thousands of used books and yes, I did make a purchase. Coming back down to the main floor it was impossible not to notice the concert happening on a big platform in the center of the place. Couches surround the area and for a short while I sat and enjoyed the show. Soon I was asked to move as they were reconfiguring things for a sound bath experience being offered shortly (unlike the concert, the sound bath was not free). So there's a ton of stuff going on here and the place is something to see and experience. I'd not make a special trip here were I not somewhat nearby but if you're in the Arts District, Little Tokyo, or heading to Grand Central Market, you're rather nearby and The Last Bookstore is a great place to explore.

Super cool book store that feels endless. Full of unique art and character…read more A must stop while visiting LA to take in the vibes, history and snag an affordable book! My friend and I had so much fun just walking around and discovering all of the cool visual art at every turn!

Kinokuniya is a Japanese bookstore chain founded in 1927 and this overseas location in Little Tokyo…read morewas temporarily closed in July 2025. The store used to be located on the 2nd floor of the Weller Court Shopping Center just above Marukai Market, but the bookstore recently reopened in a new space just across from the Weller Court Shopping Center in June 2026. The new space is twice as large as the previous space and this is currently the second largest Kinokuniya store in the United States. [Parking]: Aiso Parking Garage is across the street from the bookstore, but unfortunately it is now $1 per hour for the first two hours and $5 for each additional hour with a daily maximum of $18. $6 flat rate after 5 PM. [Selection]: The bookstore combines books, stationery, and gifts all in one place. There is a permanent corner for Studio Ghibli items with two giant plushies - Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service and Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro. The bookstore has an incredible S-tier art book selection with sample books available for visitors to flip through those pages. There is also a section of the bookstore for a pop-up exhibit and the July exhibit corner was showcasing special commemorative illustrations and comments from Steel Ball Run: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. [Conclusion]: Look some of the books they sell here will be a bit more expensive than just buying them online, but the quality of the selection here is absolutely top-notch. This is one of those bookstores where anime enthusiasts can wander around for more than an hour and browse through English/Japanese manga, magazines, and anime merchandise.

Kinokuniya in Little Tokyo has moved to a new and bigger location! They are located across from the…read moreWeller Court area. Inside, they have a massive setup and is definitely one of the bigger Kinokuniyas I have been to in America. They have all the usual goodies from books, manga, figures, stationery, blind boxes, and more. Stop by and you will most likely not leave empty handed!

Hennessey + Ingalls Bookstore is a one stop shop for some of the best selection of art and…read morearchitecture books. This spot is located in the Arts District of LA where street parking will be your best bet. Inside, they have a pretty spacious setup with a wide selection of books. Their books are organized really nicely with different categories ranging from Fine Arts, Art History, Graphic Design, Photography, Fashion, Cooking, Architecture, and more. All of the staff here are friendly and welcoming. You could definitely browse around and spend up 1-2 hours here!

Specialty bookstore for visual art books. Lots of cool coffee table style books with gorgeous…read morephotos of Googie coffee shops from the 50s, or all of Spielberg's movies chronologically, or local history in the LA basin (focused on architecture through the decades). Fun to browse for sure.

Definitely a hidden gem. There were so any cool books and reading material. Aside from books there…read moreare also cool trinkets and stationary items. The store is very organized and well kept. The prices varied on items. Definitely recommend for readers and people interested in cool books etc.

Artbook is a bookstore located inside the Hauser & Wirth gallery space. They are primarily focused…read moreon art style books, but they also have a lot of other books ranging from different genres. Definitely stop by to browse around after you walk around the galleries!

It's a Bookoff in name, sure they have figurines and books, but... that's it. It smells bad in here…read morefor some reason and like someone smoked multiple packs of cigarettes. I've been here 3 times while I was in Little Tokyo, but I've yet to find reasonable prices and I literally saw a used book listed for a dollar more than new... What? Everything in this store seems overpriced and the selection isn't great. You're better off going to Kinokuniya down the street especially when a used book is listed for new pricing. Employees don't seem helpful or care that they're there. Just not a great location... It's Little Tokyo, you NEED to have Japanese language manga here...

Ugh. I went in there hoping this location would have used Japanese books I could purchase…read more Nope. No luck. Just a bunch of figurines and other anime related memorabilia. Store smelled horrible too. Like a bunch of unwashed greasy hair. Hilarious I was literally the only Asian in there. Parking is nonexistent and it's just not worth the trip here unless you're one of those otaku.

Awesome cookbook only book store. It has a pretty vast collection for those of us that while are…read morenot Luddites, prefer a book now and then. Its in a small covered alleyway filled with other shops and parking can be a bear. On the other hand friendly, knowledgeable staff offset any inconvenience you may occur with the parking. Worth a stop if you like to cook and like books.

great little boutique shop with a very creative owner. All cook books, you can find everything you…read moreneed for every cuisine, food culture, wine, spirits, etc. - something for everyone interested in food! so many cool cookbooks for your collection. located in Far East PLaza across from Howling Rays. Worth a stop to add a book to your kitchen!

Another very cute bookstore that's located in Los Angeles. It's fairly difficult to find street…read moreparking, especially on the weekends. I used the ParkSmarter app to reload my hourly fees for my car. Just a little hint if you're visiting from out of town. I didn't walk away with a purchase, because nothing truly peaked my interest. As an indie bookstore, you are offered a variety of items: cards, books, Knick knacks, magazines, and more. I think the best part of this bookstore is that they have a study area located in the back of it. Combined with the study area is a coffee shop that also sells beer. How cool is that! I was hesitant to sit at the bar since we were in a time crunch, but h would have loved to enjoy it. There were numerous patrons sitting around and having conversations and enjoying their beverages. The vibes eye very vintage yet hipster. Loved it entirely and I absolutely want to visit again !

My Stories Books & Cafe Diary:…read more Week 1 - I bought the Robert Crumb book of Blues, Country & Jazz Artists, had an espresso. The espresso was only $3.50. I wish it was served in a tiny porcelain cup. Week 2 - Bought a pack of Tarot cards and laughed at Keith Morris' memoirs - highly recommended. Bought an espresso, which was still served to me in a paper cup. Week 3 - Bought a collection of Anne Sexton's poetry. When will they film a biopic about her? She's totally movie material. I didn't know Vashti Bunyan wrote a book, holy cow. Couldn't slurp my espresso because all the chairs and tables were taken by campers, so I took my $3.50 espresso and hung out at the huge parking lot next to the patio.

TRENDY LITTLE STORE w/ GREAT FINDS! Central Library's "The Library Store" is a current,…read morewell-stocked gift shop with buzzy reads and stylish merch. I loved seeing their pocket-sized collection from their genre-specific books to celebrity finds. I spotted a Chappel Roan book among other favorites. Additionally, they had a selection of Heated Rivalry novels and other fan-favorites. I definitely see myself coming here more often, too bad my booklist is currently full. My Mom and I got a few items (a small version of Macbeth, socks, mug, etc.). Staff were pretty polite but a little awkward, I think they're on high-alert for shoplifters. The store was neat and tidy. Lighting was dim and the store wasn't packed. As this is a gift shop in LA, library-specific merch is slightly pricy. However, the quality of the goods are great. If you're entering through the backside of the library go straight down the entrance hallway a bit and turn to your right. The Library Store is hard to miss!

I felt like a kid walking into a candy store while visiting this charming and well curated gift…read morestore in historic LA Central Library! When I heard the greeting, I said "im definitely walking out of here with a gift or two," I got four! And, why not? It feels good to support the Library and get something special too :)

Great selection of new and used books in this pocket sized space. Mostly books on art or made by…read moreartists but tons of other great things too. Totally scored on my visit!

This is the Korean Christian bookstore. Very neat, very clean, good collection here. And so…read morepeaceful here. They have some cute stationary stuff here too as well as some English books. One book I was looking for wasn't here but the person quickly identified it and was able to ship to my address! Also Korean book covers are fire!! Typography and illustration is on another level. I appreciated it so much and was some good inspiration to me as a designer haha.

I don't recommend this place at all. I went to Korea last year and came home with the first two…read moreHarry Potter books in Korean. While in Korea, I didn't know that Incheon Airport would have shipping boxes for excess luggage, so when I thought I would be limited by just the space I left for souvenirs and other gifts in my bags, I could've bought all seven Harry Potter books. As you can tell by the town I'm in, I'm in the Bay Area. Here in the Bay, we don't have a lot of Korean bookstores, and the one I could find here didn't really focus on fiction/fantasy books. I found this place after searching the internet for "Korean bookstores in LA/SoCal." I called and asked the staff if they had Harry Potter. They said they didn't, but they told me that if I found some store back in Korea that had what I was looking for, they told me to email them the link or something and then they would order the books for me. When I pointed out that by that logic, if I could find a book by myself and then pay for the store to mail the books directly to me, customs and all, then I'd just be doing their job. The employee told me to "take it or leave it," and they acted completely shocked that I did leave.