This place is amazing, a book lover's dream! I could probably live here lol. The books are…read moreamazingly priced. You will not find better preowned prices on Amazon or other major book resellers, except Goodwill maybe. There are many structures (such as a metal vault) and beautiful designs made from uniquely binded books to relax around and explore. With two floors to adventure in, a cafe area, and even an few artists vendor areas, this is a good location for tourists and locals to get lost in!!

l've been here several times already and I'm always amazed that a place like this even exists. It's…read moresuch a unique store, and I've picked up books, coffee, and other merchandise on various visits all at good price. Even when I'm not looking to buy anything, it's still worth coming just to explore. The place is unlike anything else. It's also a perfect spot for anyone creating content for a social media travel page. Upstairs you'll find an art gallery and several other shops, while downstairs has old vinyl records and CDs. If you love that classic old bookstore smell, this place has it in full. Personally it's not my favorite, but definitely worth noting for those who do. The main downsides are parking and crowds. Finding a spot by car can be a challenge, and the store draws a good number of tourists so it can get pretty packed. If you're not a fan of crowds, just keep that in mind before you go.

I was in the mood to check out this used bookstore and was able to get 3 paperbacks and 1 hardcover…read morebook for $9! That price was a steal! It's a small and compact space but all the books are organized by categories and there are some pretty good titles to get. Staff was friendly and I saw them also organizing donations.

Incredible Service! Love the selection of books! Can't wait to come back! I think there's a lot of…read moreavailable educational books in here and even books you wouldn't be able to find elsewhere where.

What an adorable book and stationary store. Our first time here and we loved it. It is not large,…read moreit is somewhat small, but it is so cute and they have a nice selection for a smaller store. They also sell other things and if you need to buy a gift, you will find one here. They also have a website that is great. Their prices are fair and the service is ever so nice. I really liked this place and will stop by again when in town.

When I called to ask about children's books in Chinese, the lady rudely said that they don't sell…read morebooks and hung up. Very strange.

Vroman's in Pasadena is an incredible bookstore and community hub. I visited during a convention…read morewhen our organization purchased 25 books about housing to display at our table. The staff at the pick-up desk provided excellent customer service for our purchase orders. One standout feature was the children's book reading section. An author was reading his book to children and their mothers, and it was a free event that took place every week at the bookstore. I was also impressed by the wide variety of gifts, stationery, and book accessories available for sale. The products had a unique personality and were reasonably priced. I bought a few items for an upcoming birthday gift for a dear friend. If you're in the Pasadena area and need to buy a gift, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine at their cafe, or of course, browse their extensive book selection, I highly recommend Vroman's.

1st visit and our 3rd & final stop on the inaugural LA indie book crawl. Est. in 1894 Vroman's is…read morean institution and its retail store is huge compared to the other bookstores we visited. Chances are we'd find titles from our booklist here if we hadn't already found them. The fiction section is expansive, having dedicated aisles for mystery, sci-fi and fantasy. Dedicated shelving for the Penguin Archives (different from Penguin Classics) series in addition to a carousel of classics under the New York Review Books (NYRB). Kudos for siting cashiers throughout the store, avoiding longer lines, and having a separate info desk with a kind staff member who was willing to turn over every stone in the database to help me track down my obscure requests. They weren't in Vroman's inventory. However our family still managed to make a Benjamin-sized dent in our discretionary spending. Bring your patience b/c the free parking lot behind the store is shared with Total Wine and the cinema. Drivers could be staying for a while with the enticing coffee shop and live events like a trio concert just outside Vroman's rear entrance. The next time we're in Pasadena and can't find gently loved copies of specific books at Book Alley, we're coming to Vroman's.

4.5/5 I rounded up…read morebecause the new location is SO nice and feels massive, but I do miss the packed aisles from the other location in Arcadia. I does feel a bit too spaced out and I wish the shelves were a bit higher. I can understand the shelves being low as a way to deter theft, but maybe towards the center of the store they could be higher. I came a few days after the grand opening and it was packed. Plenty of selection, but the prices of books once again were a bit too much compared to other places. Love the store, worth visiting if you're in the little tokyo area.

A massive, nostalgic slice of Japan in Little Tokyo~~~ If…read moreyou remember the old Kinokuniya location, prepare to be blown away. This new space is absolutely massive and beautifully spread out! Walking inside instantly triggered so much nostalgia for the cute little bookstores and stationary shops I visited when I was in Japan. Everything is so neatly arranged and wrapped. They have an incredible selection of books in both English and Japanese. Seriously, they have everything you can think of: manga, magazines, cookbooks, adorable plushies, stationery, and T-shirts. When we went, they even had some amazing JoJo's Bizarre Adventure artwork on the wall and tons of Pokémon merch. My friend and I stopped by right after the anime convention ended, and the place was packed. Because it gets so busy, they have a strict "no drinks" policy, resulting in a hilariously massive pile of boba and coffees left at the front entrance. The employees seemed overwhelmed & nobody greeted us. My only real critique: Prepare yourself for the price tags. Everything is extremely overpriced. I saw a pretty basic black T-shirt featuring a famous Japanese artist's work going for $60. I get that it's specialty import stuff, but it's definitely an investment! Tip: It's a fantastic place to visit, but if you want to actually browse the Studio Ghibli or anime sections without fighting a crowd, try to come during the week!

I went in today to browse and all the employees I encountered were so friendly, thoughtful,…read moreproactive, and helpful. My friend and I were approached by three different employees during our time there. They asked if they could assist us with anything and gave some great recommendations. I was looking for a fantasy book for my teenage brother and the employee was incredibly helpful giving recommendations, finding the "teen book of the month." I didn't even know they had a teen book of the month! The organization of the store was great. The categories and book selections that were specially displayed were especially helpful. For example, in their AAPI stories section I was able to find some really interesting books that I might have not otherwise seen. A selection of their Barnes and Noble specialty book covers that feature some classic works (like Pride and Prejudice and Winnie the Pooh) were on sale for between $8-$12. For such a beautiful high quality book, I would definitely return to purchase one of those at that price. The other books though were a bit pricey. The employees there made this visit extra enjoyable. I don't go to Barnes and Noble very often, but yesterday's visit makes me want to return again soon.

I drove here since I had to get a book for my brother. He needs it for his high school project. An…read moreemployee found the last copy for me and another employee who was helping me. Truly amazing!

This store is located in Americana and has three levels. Starbucks cafe is located on the third…read morelevel and it is usually busy. Sometime it is hard to get a table. This store is very organized and they have kiosks that it is helpful to find the books. They also have staff working on the floor which answers questions and help finding items. This store has anime, music and magazine selections and prices of the books are compatible which other stores or online. They also offer a reward program which offers discounts for cafe, books and magazines. Parking in Americana is not free. I think they validate the parking. I would suggest parking in the mall which is free and it is like five minutes walk.

I DESPISE when Japanese mangaka and other guests of honor choose to go to this location of all of…read morethem. It's super fisted with the regular crowds due to it's location in the shopping center, it's a traffic nightmare, it's not remotely close to anything else (convention center, Japanese hub, etc.), and the shop itself is a bit lackluster. Like, yeah I know we are running out of actual physical bookstores, but this is mostly a trinket, toys, gift store with some books to sell on the side. Manga and graphic novel selection is a bit limited. Staff recommendations were the most casual and entry level things ever like JJK or MHA, no offense. It's neat that it's multiple stories but, again, selection was a bit meh. Also unfortunately ran into zoomers using the escalators to film TikToks on more than one location...

Walking into this place feels like stepping into another universe -- one made entirely of stories,…read morehistory, and quiet magic. The moment you walk through the door, you're surrounded by towering shelves and beautiful, chaotic stacks of books that feel lovingly curated rather than cluttered. It's the kind of space where time slows down and you forget about your phone because you're too busy discovering something unexpected. Every corner feels alive. The warm lighting, the golden walls, the endless spines of books -- it's cozy, nostalgic, and deeply comforting. You don't just shop here; you explore. And the owner? Truly an angel. Kind, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable. You can feel how much heart and soul they've poured into this space. They don't just sell books -- they share stories, recommendations, and genuine warmth. The customer service alone makes you want to come back again and again. If you love books, hidden gems, or places with real character, this is one of those rare magical spots that reminds you why independent shops matter. I'll be thinking about this place for a long time.

There is no other bookstore quite like Century Books, the owners Judith and Steve are some of the…read moremost wholesome people I have been fortunate to meet. Me and my partner love to visit & chat with them about books, plays, and other things while looking around and they are so accommodating, it almost feels like we are their guests in their home. More than reasonable prices and have plenty to choose from.