14 shops · 6 districts
The Record & Book Edit.
Fourteen shops for bookshops and record stores worth an afternoon, across 6 parts of LA: WeHo & Melrose, The Grove, Old Pasadena, Little Tokyo and more. Picked from the 221 shops we list, one location each.
- 1Books · WeHo & MelroseBook SoupAn independent bookstore on the Sunset Strip with over 60,000 titles, strong in art, film, music and LA history, plus magazines and comics.
- 2Books · WeHo & MelroseMystery Pier BooksA small rare-book dealer tucked behind Book Soup, specializing in collectible first editions and signed copies.
- 3Books · The GroveBarnes & NobleLarge bookstore with a wide range of titles and comfortable seating, a café pouring coffee drinks, magazines, vinyl records and children's toys.
- 4Records & music · Old PasadenaCommune RecordsIndependent record store with new and used vinyl across many genres, plus a small shelf of music, art and DIY books.
- 5Books · Little TokyoKinokuniyaFlagship Japanese bookstore of about 14,000 sq ft with Japanese and English books, a large translated manga section, stationery, Hello Kitty, Ghibli and anime goods.
- 6Records & music · Little TokyoSalt Box RecordsFunk-focused record shop inside the Hello Stranger event space, with US classics, European 45s, Japanese city pop and new funk releases.
- 7Records & music · Little TokyoGoing Underground RecordsNew and used vinyl across genres with deep punk and metal bins, a few doors from POP Little Tokyo on 2nd Street.
- 8Books · Silver LakeSkylight BooksNeighborhood bookstore built around a large ficus tree, with mainstream and offbeat titles, a big local zine section, and regular readings and signings.
- 9Records & music · Silver LakeRockaway RecordsRecord store running for over 40 years with vinyl, CDs, posters and memorabilia, known for rare Beatles records and autographed pieces.
- 10Books · Silver LakeSkylight Books Arts AnnexAnnex next to Skylight Books, open since 2008, with art books, graphic novels and comics, plus staff picks of zines and mini-comics from local artists.
- 11Records & music · Echo ParkSick City RecordsCompact strip-mall record shop strong in 20th-century alternative and 21st-century indie, also selling VHS tapes and band shirts, with a small barbershop in back.
- 12Books · Echo ParkStories Books & CafeNew and used bookshop with a back café for coffee and pastries, a patio, gifts, and regular readings, signings and comedy nights; it still buys used books.
- 13Books · Echo ParkA Good Used BookHusband-and-wife used bookshop opened in Echo Park Village in 2023, with carefully chosen used titles, some new editions and weekend markets with local vendors.
- 14Books · Little TokyoARTBOOK @ Hauser & WirthBookstore inside the Hauser & Wirth complex selling contemporary art and culture titles, magazines, children's books and the gallery's own artist catalogues.
Rodeo Drive
Old Pasadena
WeHo & MelroseStay in the loop
LA Shopping, weekly.
New openings, sales, market events, and hidden gems, straight to your inbox.