Bookstores in San Francisco Bay Area (SF) List (rec.arts.books)
evelyn.c.leeper
Last change:
Fri Oct 9 08:37:53 EDT 1992
Added:
Ninth Avenue Books (San Francisco)
Beard's Books (San Francisco)
Comics & Comix (San Francisco)
Books New & Used (San Francisco)
A to Z News (San Francisco)
Maelstrom Books (San Francisco)
Books (San Francisco)
The Book Center (San Francisco)
Louie Bros Book Store (San Francisco)
Sports Central: The Ultimate Sports Bookstore (Palo Alto)
Change:
Bell's (Palo Alto--now honors marked prices)
Closed:
If Wishes Were Horses (Palo Alto)
Ferndale Books (Ferndale; possibly only temporarily)
[Note: I collected these comments from a variety of people. I personally have
no knowledge of many of these places and take no responsibility if you buy a
book you don't enjoy. :-) Phone numbers and precise addresses can be gotten
by calling directory assistance for the appropriate city. Call ahead for
precise hours, as even when I list them they are subject to change.]
SAN FRANCISCO:
(Now arranged geographically--thanks to Joseph Brenner.
Roughly East to West, or starting "Downtown" and moving outwards.)
Chinatown:
Louie Bros Book Store (754 Washington near Grant). Chinese
Language. Noted a Lotus 1-2-3 manual in the window.
Downtown:
City Lights (Broadway and 261 Columbus). The best
place for general literature. Famous beat era
shop. Go downstairs.
Alexander Book Co. (south of Market on Second Street
downtown). Pleasant to hang out in, and carries
a more interesting selection of everything than
many larger places. It's hidden away behind
Stacey's, which is valuable but really just a
giant Waldenbooks in spirit.
Rand McNally (Market near 2nd). Huge selection of maps
and travel books.
Stacey's (581 Market near 2nd). It is remarkable for
technical books. Another branch at 383 Sacramento
between Front & Battery.
Tillman Place Bookshop (8 Tillman Place off Grant
between Post & Sutter).
Also called Charlotte Newbegin's Bookshop.
Specializes in Russian books, which makes it almost
unique in the western US (but see also Palo Alto).
"This is one of my favorite places to browse at
lunchtime. They carry new and used books, and
sometimes adorn their used treasures with hand-made
dust-covers -- gorgeous hand-painted papers and
hand-printed labels. They also have a large,
elegant cat, who usually sleeps amid the window
display!"
Argonaut Books (786 Sutter at the corner of Taylor) (used)
The Bookstall (570 Sutter btwn Powell and Mason) (used). It
has a general selection of books.
Albatross (166 Eddy btwn Mason and Taylor) (used). Much more
upscale than McDonalds, excellent selection. In a
very seedy area, but you are probably safe during
the day.
McDonalds (48 Turk) (used). You gotta see this place: rickety
shelves stacked to the rafters with old books
and magazines. The next quake is going to wipe this
place out. In a very seedy area, but you are
probably safe during the day.
Civic Center:
Fantasy Etc. (808 Larkin)
"Science Fiction and Detective Fiction"
A Clean Well-Lighted Place For Books at Opera Plaza
(610 Van Ness Ave between Golden Gate and Turk).
Acorn Books (740 Polk between Eddy and Ellis next-door
to Sierra Club HQ) (used). Everything over $15 is
on the computer. They also have printouts by topic.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art bookstore (Van Ness
and McAllister, near the Opera House). A great
selection of art and art-related books; also some
interesting children's books.
Richard Hilkert, Bookseller (333 Hayes, near the Performing
Arts Center). Has a large number of books on
architecture, as well as a large collection of books,
new and used, on design, the arts, collecting,
gardening, cooking, travel.... Carries new and used
books, and has book signings from time to time.
Drama Books (134 Ninth St, San Francisco CA 94103,
(two or three blocks off Market), (415) 255-0604).
Marina:
Writer's Bookstore (2848 Webster, between Green & Union).
A tiny store with new and used books. Classical
music on the radio, sports on TV! *All* new books
discounted up to 50% off cover-price!
Maritime Book Store (Hyde Street Pier near Fisherman's
Wharf). A very good selection of new maritime
books. While there, must visit the Balclutha, one
of the few remaining square-rigged Cape Horn sailing
ships.
Mission:
Aardvark (237 Church). Used to have separate new and used
stores; now the Church Street location carries both
new and used books.
Maelstrom Books (572 Valencia near 17th St). Medium-sized
place. "Looks good."
Books (around 528 Valencia, near 16th St). Many hardcovers
on tall shelves, old wooden floors with some scattered
chairs. A great used bookstore. The hours are just
listed as "opening" to "closing," but closing seems
*late* and opening is around noon.
The Book Center (518 Valencia near 16th St). Political
literature.
Old Wives' Tales (1009 Valencia). Feminist.
Modern Times Bookstore (Valencia near 20th Street;
Next door to Cafe Beano at 878 Valencia).
A good selection of books along the lines of
contemporary urban/liberal thought. "I gather from
the name they think of themselves as an
alternative to the more backward-looking "City
Lights" bookstore."
Carroll's Books (Church and 24th--Noe Valley) (used). Jim
Carroll was a buyer at Green Apple (see below)
and has excellent taste in used books. If you're
in the area, check out the Mission: Valencia Books,
Maelstrom, etc.
Laissez-Faire Books (Howard Street). Some general
philosophy, but strong classical liberal flavor.
Freedom's Forum (1800 Market Street). (Capitalist) "Most
bookstores carry plenty of socialist books; how
many carry the works of the Austrian economists
such as Ludwig Von Mises and F.A. Hayek? ...
Anyone wanting a balanced view of both socialism
and capitalism should patronize this store
frequently." (according to one poster)
Limelight Film & Theatre Bookstore (1803 Market,
San Francisco CA 94103, (415) 864-2265). The
Limelight has more scripts, but Drama Books also
stocks used books, and more about the
history/techniques of theater.
Ninth Avenue Books (1348 9th Ave near Kirkham).
Beard's Books (637 Kirkham near 8th Ave). Mostly used books.
A little bit of everything, but not a lot of
anything. High prices. A hard place to be
enthusiastic about, but it is open late (after
midnight), and it's got a cafe next door.
Comics & Comix (Kirkham at 8th Ave). Another entry in the
chain (smaller than Palo Alto's).
Books New & Used (345 Judah at 9th Ave). "Discount Medical,
Technical & Professional." Hours around 9AM-6PM,
closed Sunday.
A to Z News (1392 9th Ave at Judah). Good magazine rack,
includes many "academic" journals. Some used
pornographic paperbacks, displayed with the
appropriate magazines. Includes an Espresso bar.
Castro:
A Different Light (489 Castro Street between 17th & 18th).
This is a branch of the company that also has
bookstores in West Hollywood and New York City.
They have a very large selection of titles of
interest to lesbians, bisexuals and gay men, and
occasionally carry a few used books. They also
have a large L/G/B newspaper and magazine section,
and sell videos, cards, T-shirts, buttons and other
good stuff, and also regularly schedule authors'
receptions and readings.
Crown Books (Castro near 18th Street)
A typical Crown bookstore, though with a fairly
large "Gay Interest" section in the back.
Castro Kiosk (Castro nearby Books Etc)
Another Gay and Lesbian magazine store.
Books Etc. (538 Castro near 18th Street) (used).
A good selection of (mostly) used books, notable
for having a fairly large "Gay Interest" section.
Lower Haight:
(no name?) (473 Haight St near Filmore)
Mostly magazines, and that mostly gay and lesbian
pornography. Some independant comics and quite a
lot of small press/fanzine publications.
Diluvian (518 Haight near Filmore) (used).
Largely a used bookstore, with a wide assortment
oriented toward hardcovers. Atmosphere is
relaxed, spacious with a number of easy chairs
scattered around. They play classical music in
the background.
Naked Eye (533 Haight St near Filmore)
Newstand and video rental place. A weird magazine
selection, with some nice touches like "The
Skeptical Inquirer" on display next to the UFO
magazines.
Comix Experience (305 Divisidero)
A basic comic book store, with a bit more open
space than usual, for live appearences by authors
and artists.
Upper Haight:
Saint Adrian Company (1334 Haight, near Central)
(used). Small, but classy used bookstore.
Atmosphere: has a small leather couch on a
Chinese carpet, with jazz music in the background.
Bound Together, the Anarchist Collective Bookstore
(1369 Haight near Masonic). An odd collection
of new and used books, plus small press stuff. It
has some strange left-wing anarchist literature,
but it also carries quite a bit of other material,
which might loosely be classified as "weird":
lesbian poets, Tesla Coils, early issues of
"REsearch," and so on.
Forever After Books (1475 Haight near Ashbury) (used).
Small, but with every available space packed with
used books. The staff is very agressively helpful,
probably because they know how hard it could be to
find something here. They carry all of the usual
stuff, though in particular I thought they had
impressive collections of old DIY/Engineering books
and children's books.
Great Expectations (1520 Haight near Ashbury)
Very small place, but a surprizingly good collection
of general literature. Lots of T-shirts and things,
largely on 60s nostalgia themes, but there are also
hints of the newer, punkier Haight.
Comic Relief (1597 Haight near Clayton)
Mostly comics. Carries some other random things
like THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK.
The Booksmith (1644 Haight near Belvedere)
Has a table up front with a collection of
excellent, quirky, discount hardcovers and trade
paperbacks.
Richmond:
Green Apple Books (506 Clement) (also used).
"Remotely situated in the Richmond district
under perpetual fog and surrounded by a
maelstrom of Russian tearooms, Vietnamese
restaurants and greengrocers, the Holy City Zoo,
Tevye's, and the greatest Armenian delicatessen--
Haig's--I've ever smelled." Go upstairs for used
books. There are a few other used bookstores
within a block or two of there.
Albatross III (143 Clement near Second Avenue) (used). This
is the neighborhood of Green Apple and many
restaurants.
Canterbury Books (on the south side of Geary near
17th Avenue). Very knowledgeable staff. Just
one block from a 38 Geary bus stop. "Highly
recommended."
Sunset:
In and Out of Print books (401-A Judah and 9th Ave) (used).
Another great used book store. Its awning says OPEN
TILL MIDNITE. "I don't know the name of the place
but they have a fairly typical assortment of the sort
of stuff which people like used bookstores for,
including some older paperback first editions as
suitably outrageous prices." (Also 443 Clement)
Elsewhere (Judah and 8th Avenue). Science fiction and
mysteries. One person said it seems to be
open only about 10 hours a week; another
said it is open until 8 (?) on Wednesdays.
BERKELEY/OAKLAND:
SF and Fantasy: Dark Carnival (Shattuck/Adeline, across the street
from the Ashby BART). (The address is 2978
Adeline, but some people think it's on
Shattuck.) Wonderful selection.
Other Change of Hobbit (2433 Channing Way). In a
mini-mall between Durant and Channing Way
off Telegraph; underneath building on west side
of Telegraph--the same mall as Revolution Books
and Dave's Smoke Shop. Another great SF/F
bookstore. New and used books.
New and Used: Ben Franklin Books in the North Berkeley Center
(Shattuck and Cedar). Nothing spectacular but
one occasionally finds something interesting
there. New books.
Berkeley Book Consortium (1700 Shattuck at Virginia).
I've found several books at BBC that I had given
up hope of ever running across. Used books.
Big Bad Book Sale (2349 Shattuck Ave). New books
greatly reduced, with very little order to the
chaos.
Black Oak Books (1491 Shattuck Ave).
Though one person says, "IMHO, Black Oak Books
is all shuck and jive. Lots of new Politically
Correct stuff up front, but slim pickins for
used goods in the back." (Other dissenting
votes have also been received.) New and used
books.
Cody's (2454 Telegraph at Haste). "One of the two stores
in the Bay area I hold up as the definition of the
term 'bookstore.'" A very large selection of just
about everything, (foreign language books on
Dwight just west of Telegraph). There is even a book
about Cody's: CODY'S BOOKS: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A
BERKELEY BOOKSTORE, 1956-1977, by Pat and Fred Cody
(scheduled for Oct 1992 and described in an article in
the August 3, 1992 issue of "Publishers Weekly").
Half-Price Books (2525 Telegraph between Dwight and Parker).
"This bookstore is abominably organized. The only
time I ever go in is when I'm waiting for a table at
the Ethiopian restaurant next door."
Holmes (274 14th St, Oakland). Excellent selection,
EXCELLENT prices. You might have trouble getting
there, because the freeway collapsed. (Others claim
this isn't a problem, and there is pretty good parking.)
It's also on the border of a major crack-dealing
district, so you should only go there in the middle
of the day, not at night. (As someone else points out,
it also closes at 5, so the former seems redundant.)
Lots of Californiana upstairs. New and used books.
Liberty Tree (134 98th St in Oakland). Not just
libertarian but also general civil liberties and`
history books.
Mr. Mopps' Children's Bookshop (1405 Martin Luther King
Jr. Way)
Moe's (2476 Telegraph between Haste and Dwight). Four
floors of mostly used books.
Mama Bear's (6536 telegraph, Oakland). Feminist
bookstore/coffeehouse. Limited selection. There's
a better feminist bookstore in San Francisco
called Old Wives' Tales.
Pegasus Books (1855 Solano).
Pendragon Books (5560 College Avenue, Oakland).
Pegasus and Pendragon are owned by the same
management. Both of them stock primarily used
books, remaindered books and recent releases.
Revolution Bookstore (2425 Channing Way). In a
mini-mall between Durant and Channing Way
off Telegraph; underneath building on west side
of Telegraph--the same mall as Other Change of
Hobbit and Dave's Smoke Shop.
Serendipity (University Ave one block east of San Pablo).
A warehouse full of first editions and rare books.
Used books. "One of the Bay Area's finest, but they
know books and there are few bargains there. Also
worth a visit just to admire some very fine
woodworking in their bookcases and cabinets."
Shambhala (2482 Telegraph next to Moe's). Excellent source
for books on Eastern religion and other forms of
mysticism. New books.
Shakespeare and Company (2499 Telegraph).
University Press Bookstore (across from the intermural
athletic center, 2430 Bancroft).
Walden Pond (3316 Grand Avenue between Lake Park and
Mandana), in Oakland. Distinct from
Waldenbooks, a used and new bookstore.
They have a particularly good selection of
international writers (in translation) and
radical literature and magazines.
Magazines: Dave's Smoke Shop (2444 Durant). In the indoor shopping
passage between Durant and Channing Way just west
of Telegraph; same mini-mall as Other Change of
Hobbit and Revolution Books). The periodical
selection in there is amazing. They've even got
Pravda (untranslated).
De Lauers (Oakland, about 3 blocks away from Holmes Bookstore)
"This place is open 24 hours a day, and has the widest
selection of newspapers and magazines that I've EVER
seen in one place."
OTHER:
Corte Madera: Book Passage. Written up in the 9/21/92 issue of PUBLISHERS
WEEKLY. Over 9000 sq. ft. of books, including a
3200-sq.ft. section devoted to mystery and science
fiction and a rare and used book department. The
store also carries titles in French, Spanish, and
German, and has a cafe in the back. (Corte Madera
is in Marin County, across the Golden Gate Bridge.)
Menlo Park: East West Books (1170 El Camino). "A complete New Age
book shop, with sections on herbalism,
metaphysics, aromatherapy, shamanism, inner
healing.... Also cards, incense, crystals,
gongs, and other Aquarian doodads. This is the
sort of thing that people who like this sort of
thing will like."
Kepler's (821 El Camino Real) (new). One of the two stores
in the Bay area I hold up as the definition of
the term 'bookstore." Special emphasis on
alternative and progressive titles. Has regular
in-person programs, often featuring important
authors.
Wessex (558 Santa Cruz half-block off El Camino) (used).
A truly delightful place. They have a large
selection of used books in wonderful condition
and at good prices. They seem to have a little
bit of everything although the Science Fiction
and Mystery sections are somewhat limited.
They don't keep late hours, but are open Sunday
afternoons. The best used bookstore on the
peninsula. Their other claim to fame:
Classical, Jazz and Blues used records.
Wonderful place!
Palo Alto: Bell's (536 Emerson) (used). In terms of selection good.
Great for book collectors. "Unfortunately much
of their stock is out of reach on high shelves,
which can be frustrating. They also shelve their
fiction books in three layers, so you have to create
little temporary piles on the floor as you mine for
books. Great place!" People used to complain that
they often changed the price on the book when you
bring it up to the register (so that for a book
marked $3 they might say, "Sorry, that's $7.50 now"),
but someone recently reported that they had stopped
doing this because it pissed off too many customers.
Closed Sundays.
Bob and Bob (151 Forest Ave). Judaica. Closed Saturdays.
The Book Buyers (504 Emerson). A good general used book
store.
Books, Inc. (Stanford Shopping Center). Has a good
paperback selection. All books are new and there
are about a dozen tables of marked-down books.
The staff is okay, not as friendly as at Phileas
Fogg's (see below).
Chimaera (University near High--yes, new address!).
Excellent mostly used bookstore specializing in
well-selected literary and humanities titles.
Also good selection of used records, cassettes,
and CDs, especially for classical, jazz, and
progressive rock.
Future Fantasy (3705 El Camino). SF/F/H/Mystery
Know Knew Books (on California) (used). A good spot for
used paperbacks, SF and general. A good
selection of hard cover fiction and non-fiction
as well.
Megabooks (444 University Avenue near Waverly). Good
general used bookstore which often has real
bargains on recent cook books.
Phileas Fogg (Stanford Shopping Center). Good travel
bookstore, helpful staff.
Printers Inc. (310 California) (new). Smaller than
Kepler's, but more personal, with a cafe in the
bookstore (a recent trend in bookstores). Though
they have recently expanded, the bookshop itself
is as friendly and personal as ever. The cafe is
also larger but (as one poster says) "I'm afraid,
much less cosy and intimate than before. One
positive result of the expansion is that the cafe
section no longer closes during readings by authors
and poets." Good selection of foreign papers.
The same poster writes, "My favourite weekly ritual
is to cycle from work to Printer's Inc., pick up my
reserved copy of the [Toronto] "Globe and Mail,"
and peruse it over a cup of dark French roast
coffee with the buzz of conversation in the
background. A very pleasant and civilized way to
spend an otherwise dull Tuesday evening."
Renaissance Books (Hamilton near Emerson). Another used
bookstore, specially good for its huge
collection of very cheap popular fiction --
mysteries, gothic, science fiction, etc.
(Used to be Recycle Books.)
Sports Central: The Ultimate Sports Bookstore (157 Stanford
Shopping Center, 415-327-7707). 7000 titles, as well
as audio and video tapes, and a few accessories, but
no memorabilia or used books. Thursday night lecture
series. (Written up in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, 10/5/92).
Stacey's (new). Technical books.
Stanford Univ. Bookstore (on the Stanford Campus).
The largest bookstore in the Bay Area. It's the
most likely place to find a new book. Their
inventory is available on the network for people
who have the right accounts. There's also a branch
on University Avenue in Palo Alto which specializes
in technical books.
Szwede Slavic Books (2233 El Camino, (415) 327-5590).
Good selection of Polish books, among others.
Los Altos: Heintzelman's Bookstore (205 State Street) (new). Packed
to the roof with a large selection of books. The
owners were friendly, helpful, and well-read.
Mountain View: Printers Inc. (301 Castro Street) (new).
More cramped and cluttered than the Palo Alto store.
San Antonio Hobby Shop (San Antonio Shopping Center,
(415-941-1278))
Amazing selection of new books on aircraft, trains
and ships (warships, mostly). They have many
hard-to-find and imported titles.
Tower Books (El Camino and San Antonio)
Los Gatos: Curious Book Shoppe (the corner of N. Santa Cruz
and Main St) (used).
Campbell: A used book store on Campbell Ave along the one-way strip
that runs East, with the stopsigns, not the
by-pass route).
San Jose: Books, Inc. (new)
Recycle Books (Santa Clara Street). They have a pretty
decent general selection. Science fiction books are
a strong point, but philosophy books are a weak spot.
Santa Cruz: (There are a number of bookstores in Santa Cruz. All three
of the bookstores that previously resided on the
Pacific Garden Mall were damaged to a greater or
smaller extent during the '89 earthquake. Logos
has reopened in a permanent location; the other
two have not, at least as far as I have heard.)
? (across from Caffe Pergolesi on Center Street). A used
bookshop, great for philosophy, religion, some rare
stuff too, but small.
Book-Cafe (41st Ave in Capitola). New books only. Good
selection of magazines. Probably has the bests
selection of audio books and literary magazines in
Santa Cruz. Also has a small coffee-shop inside.
Book Loft (next to the Rio Theatre on Soquel Drive).
Used books only.
Bookshop Santa Cruz (currently in two tents on Cedar,
right near the town clock). The larger tent is
devoted to new books; the second is for staff and
receiving. Their used books are sold from a building
to your left from the tent entrance, called the
"Used Book Shed"; the pickings can be slim, but there
are gems. A Santa Cruz tradition. Someone reports
(9/92) that it is about to move into the old
St. George Hotel on Pacific Garden Mall.
Gateways (a block from Logos/Plaza in the old Great Outdoors
Outlet). A venerable Santa Cruz institution, with
twice the space of its old location and a small cafe.
It is primarily known for new-age, metaphysics,
self-help, etc.
Logos (has re-opened in a new building at its *old* location
on the Pacific Garden Mall). Two full floors of
books, used records, and used CDs. Can be thought
of as Santa Cruz's answer to Moe's in Berkeley.
"It is this bibliophile's opinion that Logos has
*the* best used book selection (in Santa Cruz, the
center of the Universe). You can get the same book
(used) here you can get in Capitola for 1/2 price
(new)."
Plaza Books (damaged in the '89 quake, but not destroyed.
On Cedar half a block from Walnut--also described as
right next door to Logos). New books only. Plaza
Books has the best tee-shirts, post-card books, and
greeting cards, by far beating out any of the more
"touristy" places.
Cupertino: A Clean Well-Lighted Place For Books (The Oaks Shopping
Center, across Steven's Creek Boulevard from de Anza
College and the Flint Centre). Recently moved within
the shopping center. The new shop, though much
bigger, is not visible from the street.
A Wrinkle in Time (19970 Homestead Road, 408-255-9406).
New and used SF, comics, videos, games, and
collectibles.
As for truly NORTHERN California, there *was* an excellent used book store on
the main drag in Ferndale, which has been closed indefinitely because of
damage from the 4/25/92 quakes. [Someone keep me informed if/when it
reopens.] Their branches in Eureka (which has an excellent music selection)
and in Arcata are still open. Eureka has another good store, located on the
square with the ugly modern fountain in the historic part of town. Arcata
also has the Tincan Mailman (on G or H street, a couple of short blocks north
of the town square), a used book store with a large selection, cosy but not
cramped.
Someone else notes in Sacramento (definitely out of the "northern" California
range, but what the heck) is The Book Mine (916-441-4609). He's not sure what
their specialty is, but he was referred to them for a train book he was
looking for.
Evelyn C. Leeper | +1 908 957 2070 | att!mtgzy!ecl or e...@mtgzy.att.com