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Berkeley, CA

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Sleepy Cat Books

4.7 (93 reviews)
ModerateBookstores
Closed • 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

Sleepy Cat Books Photos

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Recommended Reviews - Sleepy Cat Books

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Reviews With Photos

Lila AKA the sweetest baby!!
Apoorvi S.

The owner is the sweetest person ever! Such an amazing variety of books (new and used) and Lila is the sweetest kitty ever! Prices are very reasonable. He even threw in a freebie for me, which I really really appreciated!! I will absolutely be visiting again!

book!
Angel L.

The cat was indeed very sleepy. There's a good selection of books, with a lot of recent releases in international fiction. I liked that there was a lot of Asian literature available here, like Han Kang's award-winning works! And, of course, I had to get a cat-related book :))

Alyssa H.

such a cute and fun bookstore!! they had high quality used books and a wide selection. and the cat was so sleepy, plus the service was so amazing! The worker there was so kind and friendly, definitely recommend supporting this shop :)

Rachel C.

Love, love, love this bookstore on Telegraph Ave.! First- the name is everything AND if you're lucky (which you'll probably always be) get to meet Lyla! The friendliest, cutest (and sleepiest) cat you'll ever meet! Sleepy Cat Books has a ton of books for all sorts of book lovers! I won't even go over genre because you just have to walk in there. It's def a book lovers safe-haven. Books, posters, bookmarks. It's just really cute inside lol You can probably spend hours just walking from wall to wall, trying to figure out what you're next read will be. So if you're looking for a new book to read, check them out! They have an Instagram, too!

Bookmark of sleeping Lyla!
Diem N.

Cute book store on Telegraph less than 10min walk from UC Berkeley! The store is small but have a decent selection and the price is very good (compared to other bookstores) as other reviews mentioned. I was walking back from a nails appointment a decided to stop by since I've been wanting a copy of Dostoyevsky's White Nights and wanted to see if they had one. Everything was organized and therefore easy to find. It's quiet but comforting and upon checking out, Lyla appeared! She's friendly and will greet you but I was short on time so I couldn't take a picture or play with her (definitely ask for permission first!). Will be back to check out more books and see Lyla again! Also, the owner is soft spoken and is very sweet!

Liz B.

OK first of all, there's actually a sleepy cat here! So cute and completely unbothered by all the bookworms coming through. I love this tiny, quiet little bookstore. Perfect for the true book lover, lots of popular books but also classics can be found up on the shelf. Really any kind of reader can find something in here, despite the size of this little gem! They also have cute little jukeboxes on top of the shelves, just adding even more charm to this super charming shop. I love browsing the titles found here. Sleepy Cat Books is the perfect local gem that everyone should visit and stop by soon!

Abigael Osana T.

The best independent bookstore in Berkeley! I absolutely love coming here to pick up new reads and to see Lyla, of course! The owner and Lyla are the sweetest and the store is just so charming. My favorite thing is the bookmarks you get along with your books, as they feature Lyla! Always a pleasure visiting :)

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13 years ago

The owner is very nice and the store has a large collection of books

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10 years ago

Love this bookstore! Really nice ambiance. Plus parking is easy. The owner is great, very kind and helpful.

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9 years ago

Fabulous little independent bookstore. Great selection of books. Anything can be ordered.

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11 years ago

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18 years ago

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15 years ago

I agree. Shop, Jeff and cats are SUPER ! -- Ahn

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18 years ago

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18 years ago

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18 years ago

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15 years ago

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12 years ago

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15 years ago

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Sleepy Cat Books Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Sleepy Cat Books

Are there 2 Bookstores,one in Orinda and the other in Berkeley with 2 different names?Sleepy town b00ks and Canettis,same owner and same kind of Books?

Thanks for asking! There is only one store: Sleepy Cat Books, located at 2509 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. Previously it was located in Orinda, and its original name was Canetti's Bookshop when it was founded in 2008.

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Review Highlights - Sleepy Cat Books

“Lyla is of course an angel, but the owner is a very kind person and gave me some spot on recommendations.”

Mentioned in 17 reviews

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Moe's Books - T shirts and book bags

Moe's Books

4.5(483 reviews)
0.0 mi•Telegraph Ave
•$$

I fell in love with this bookstore. I'm sure my sons regretted we went in because I spent time…read morehere. They have so much new and used selection. All types of books. I'm a non-fiction bookworm and this place is a heaven. The value for most books is reasonable and lower than a regular book store. I loved how organized it was on each floor and there were posted guides if you wanted to see more what floor to find them. They have a top floor with staff by appointment for special books. Other than that there's no staff interaction except at payment. I also loved they had table and chair seatings in random places be use you will get tired of checking out everything. Yes, I left with 7 books, no regrets and wish I could've taken more. I will def be back! They have straits and elevators but I recommend taking the stairs as they have interesting frames on the way and shop on lower level by stairwell.

Moe's is iconic for plenty of reasons, but one staff member today isn't one of them. I've shopped…read morehere many times, but this was my first time trying to sell. I came in with a big box of books and a man checking out customers pointed me to the counter by the window. While I waited, I set my box on an empty part of the counter. The man who'd be looking at my books told me I'd have to wait 4 minutes. His tone was hostile, so I just told him I was waiting. When it was my turn, things got sour fast. The offer felt low, so I asked if there was any room to negotiate. Right away, no. Fine. I asked if there were other options, and he said I'd get more in store credit. Since I hadn't decided between credit and cash, I asked if he could write the offer down so I could come back another day. Again, an instant no. He said he was "too busy." I don't know what kind of training Moe's gives its staff, but this gentleman could use some customer service training. Maybe Moe's could stock a few books on the subject and encourage him to read them. There are plenty of other great bookstores nearby. I'd recommend Pegasus Books for your book fix.

Photos
Moe's Books - Upstairs

Upstairs

Moe's Books
Moe's Books - At Moe's perusing the endless aisles of books

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At Moe's perusing the endless aisles of books

Half Price Books

Half Price Books

4.0(371 reviews)
0.7 mi•Downtown Berkeley
•$

Love this place. Come here all the time. The nice thing is that they have a network of them and…read moretheir inventory system is very good. You can order online of course; or go in the store and order them from another store which will ship over for free. I was able to find some (what I thought were) esoteric titles surprisingly. Staff are very friendly. Chairs here and there making it feel welcoming. Quite big and large selection. Very sad it's closing soon- grumble grumble landlord.... Hope it sprouts up somewhere else- not as if there aren't vacant retail properties ALL over the place. It's definitely an anchor to the block and the "arts district."

Save your time! Save your money!…read moreIt's time that they got what was coming. We came here and it was an absolute waste. Most of the stuff they have are packed up in the boxes that you can see in some of the pictures. You can also see they pulled a lot of stuff off the shelves and the prices are higher. I have a picture of two of the same books. One looks used. The other one looks new and one is 699 and the other one is 599. It isn't like one has a signature or anything. It's not special. It just cost more. The people who work there were kind of just hanging around in the back and not doing much. And they're already closed! I remember what the days when they were open until 10 11 o'clock at night but that was a long time ago back when they were relevant. I say it's karma because they didn't buy everybody's books. I have a picture of them saying they are no longer buying books. They don't buy books from Black people, full stop!And so. Bye!!! The problem they always said they had my books that my books are old. So why am I looking at a bookstore with nothing but old books. If they have separate pricing for Black people, they should just say that and suffered the consequences for that. This is a place I used to go to for all my books and I loved going there because I love getting a bargain, however, when I wanted to sell some books that's when things got funky. I find it interesting that I get more money from other places selling less books than I've ever gotten from them and I never did do my experiment where a white friend would walk in and sell my books so that I could see how much money she got. I bet she wouldn't have been told about how old her books are, which is hard to understand when the books are old as Methuselah! But, now they won't be my inspiration for purchasing off of Amazon, which is pretty much what they've become to me. I see a book in the store, look up the author and the book online, and if I can get it at my library or on Amazon, I will get it because I don't wanna waste money with people who say they buy books and don't buy them., full stop! Bye...

Photos
Half Price Books - Recent purchase of random selections.

Recent purchase of random selections.

Half Price Books - Ad Hoc@ Home + French Laundry set for $49.95 before tax!

Ad Hoc@ Home + French Laundry set for $49.95 before tax!

Half Price Books - Thomas Keller love: both for less than $50!

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Clio’s - Partial reading area

Clio’s

4.1(134 reviews)
3.9 mi•Adams Point

After a long walk around Lake Merritt with my niece, I was on a mission to find a restroom. She…read moresuggested we stop by Clio's Bookstore & Bar, describing it as part bookstore, part reading lounge, and part bar. I expected a quick pit stop--I ended up wanting to stay. This place is an absolute gem. The atmosphere is eclectic, cozy, and full of personality. The shelves are lined with books spanning more eras and genres than I even knew existed, making it feel like a literary treasure hunt. Every direction I looked revealed another fascinating title or beautifully aged collection. One of my closest friends is a librarian, so I found myself snapping photo after photo to send her because I knew she'd be completely enamored with this place. I didn't order food or drinks during this visit (I rarely drink), but I already know I'll be back. The ambiance alone is worth experiencing. It's the kind of place where you can lose yourself browsing vintage books, settle into a chair with a good read, and simply enjoy the unique energy. From what I could tell, many of the books are also available for purchase, which makes it even more tempting to return. I also noticed that Clio's hosts community events, so I'll definitely be checking their calendar before my next visit. Whether you're a book lover, a history buff, or simply someone who appreciates unique spaces with soul, Clio's Bookstore & Bar is well worth a stop.

Came to Clio's for book club and we were actually having a really good time. The place is super…read morecute and we all ordered drinks from the bar. Since the only food they really had were $24 charcuterie boards, we DoorDashed some food. A lady came over and told us we weren't allowed to have outside food, which okay, fine -- but there are literally no signs anywhere saying no outside food or drinks. What really bothered us was that other people came in with outside food and were eating it and nobody said anything to them. If that's the policy, then it should apply to everyone, not just certain tables. Such a shame because we really liked the place and were having a good time. We were buying drinks and would've definitely stayed longer. If outside food isn't allowed, just put up a sign and enforce the rule for everyone.

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Clio’s - Blackberry sage shrub

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Clio’s - A Friday night at 10pm, busy and loud. Nice bartenders.

A Friday night at 10pm, busy and loud. Nice bartenders.

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Interior

Sleepy Cat Books - bookstores - Updated October 2026

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