Known for our fascinating selection of titles, stunning author events, enthusiastically diverse staff, and urban California aesthetic, DIESEL is the cutting-edge, high octane, community-radiating, independent neighborhood bookstore we all dream of hanging out in, getting imaginally turned on in, and literarily inspired by.
The coolest bookstore in the East Bay.
The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller, Since 1851
General purpose book store, great kids section, magazines, gifts and games!
Veteran bookseller providing fiction & nonfiction, plus kids’ titles. Some locations host events.
Anton Roman began selling books in 1851, but his legendary bookstore didn’t become Books Inc. until 1946. From then on, their history has been defined by their indie character as they fought and survived the expansion of huge national book companies. Today, they operate 11 stores in San Francisco, East Bay and the Peninsula, and have become the West’s oldest independent bookseller.
Books Inc. is the West’s oldest independent bookseller – we’ve been around since 1851 – and Opera Plaza is our largest location!
Anton Roman began selling books in 1851, but his legendary bookstore didn’t become Books Inc. until 1946. From then on, their history has been defined by their indie character as they fought and survived the expansion of huge national book companies. Today, they operate 11 stores in San Francisco, East Bay and the Peninsula, and have become the West’s oldest independent bookseller.
With locations dotted throughout California, Books Inc. brands itself as the oldest independent bookseller in the West. The location in downtown Mountain View is a perfect spot for those looking to spend some time browsing through the many different books available for purchase. The store also stocks an assortment of great magazines, and Wi-Fi is available to those using mobile devices. Several book clubs also meet at the store, making it the perfect spot for bookworms and casual readers alike to enjoy.
Welcome to Books Inc. Palo Alto at the Town & Country Village!
Britt-Marie’s Wine Bar & Restaurant took its namesake (1981) from Chef Britt-Marie Pazdirek. Originally “The Bacchanal” (1972-1982) the wine bar was established as a place “by and for women.” When Britt-Marie took over the space, she created a menu that featured her native Scandinavian dishes as well as Eastern European cuisine. In 1990 Chef Arthur Morfidis added Mediterranean dishes to the Britt-Marie’s menu with family recipes from his motherland of Greece.
The California Historical Society is a non-profit gallery, bookstore, public research library and archive. Our mission is to inspire and empower people to make California’s richly diverse past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives.
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) promotes the interdisciplinary study of the Arab World, Turkey, Israel, and Iran at the University of California, Berkeley, privileging no single country, topic, or political position. A federally funded Title VI National Resource Center, the CMES organizes a rich interdisciplinary lecture and film series each semester, supports advanced research on the Middle East by faculty, students, and visiting scholars, and conducts Middle East-related outreach to K-14 institutions and community partners throughout the Bay Area. Explore our website, join our mailing list, check out answers to frequently asked questions, and plan your next visit to UC Berkeley.
Charlie’s Corner is an independent neighborhood bookstore carrying a wide assortment of children’s and young adult literature. We cater to every child’s needs by providing a rich and dynamic selection of exciting new titles as well as children’s classics that span generations. Through our interactive story times featuring music, food, Spanish, and French storytellers, we hope to help children explore and develop a love for stories in a creative and cozy environment.
Potrero Hill’s neighborhood bookstore since 1991
Special orders welcome, by phone, email, or the old-fashioned way–just drop by!
Chronicle Books is an independent publisher based in San Francisco and they’ve been making their mark on our local and global book community since the Summer of Love. Their headquarters in South Beach is located inside an old maritime machine shop and warehouse. There, they have four floors of publishing services and a storefront on the ground floor. You can also find their books and a wide selection from their publishing partners at a second location at the Metreon.
City Lights Books is a landmark independent bookstore and publisher that specializes in world literature, the arts, and progressive politics.
Imagine more than 10,000 square feet with titles in every category in a beautifully restored brick building in the heart of Petaluma’s westside. There’s a huge selection of fiction. One room is dedicated to magazines and another to children’s books. Cooks, travelers, writers, graphic novel readers, historians—in fact, nearly everyone—will find a section that appeals.
Known for our fascinating selection of titles, stunning author events, enthusiastically diverse staff, and urban California aesthetic, DIESEL is the cutting-edge, high octane, community-radiating, independent neighborhood bookstore we all dream of hanging out in, getting imaginally turned on in, and literarily inspired by.
If you’re looking for a pleasant place to peruse a lot of books, seek no further! Since 1992, Dog Eared Books has been supplying a book-hungry San Francisco with new, used, and remaindered books as well as magazines, calendars, and notebooks. We’re a general interest store, so we have a little of everything, but we do specialize in Beat, off-beat, small press, and local literature. Our staff of is happy to help you locate specific titles or you can roam around discovering wondrous obscurities you never knew you couldn’t live without.
If you’re looking for a pleasant place to peruse a lot of books, seek no further! Since 1992, Dog Eared Books has been supplying a book-hungry San Francisco with new, used, and remaindered books as well as magazines, calendars, and notebooks. We’re a general interest store, so we have a little of everything, but we do specialize in Beat, off-beat, small press, and local literature. Our staff of is happy to help you locate specific titles or you can roam around discovering wondrous obscurities you never knew you couldn’t live without.
Alexander’s is centrally located in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Walking to our store is always a great option. We are a short walk from Union Square and the Moscone Convention Center (3 to 4 blocks) and just a half block off Market Street on Second Street. We are about a ten minute walk from the Embarcardaro waterfront, Chinatown, North Beach or AT&T ballpark, the home of the San Francisco Giants.
Britt-Marie’s Wine Bar & Restaurant took its namesake (1981) from Chef Britt-Marie Pazdirek. Originally “The Bacchanal” (1972-1982) the wine bar was established as a place “by and for women.” When Britt-Marie took over the space, she created a menu that featured her native Scandinavian dishes as well as Eastern European cuisine. In 1990 Chef Arthur Morfidis added Mediterranean dishes to the Britt-Marie’s menu with family recipes from his motherland of Greece.
The California Historical Society is a non-profit gallery, bookstore, public research library and archive. Our mission is to inspire and empower people to make California’s richly diverse past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives.
UNITE HERE! Local 2 is the union of 12,000 hospitality workers throughout San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. Our members work in hotels, restaurants, clubs, and other food service facilities, providing service to millions of guests every year. Together, we fight to ensure that service workers are treated decently and receive a fair share of the wealth our industry produces.
The City Hall you see today took two years to build. Steel, granite, and four floors of white marble interiors make up San Francisco’s symbol of resilience, built after the previous City Hall was destroyed in the Great Earthquake and Fire of April 18, 1906.
The Booksmith has been the indie book headquarters of Haight-Ashbury for more than 40 years. Since 2007, the store has been owned and operated by Christin Evans and her husband who also revamped the famous Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park. Driven by the mission to reestablish bookshops as community gathering places, The Booksmith team has created an event venue, a second home, a book-loving community and so much more.
The San Francisco Public Library system is dedicated to free and equal access to information, knowledge, independent learning, and the joys of reading for our diverse community.
The Bindery is a books and events space established by The Booksmith at 1727 Haight Street. Stay tuned for updates.
Built in 1927, the Nourse [275 Hayes Street] is a landmark venue located in the heart of San Francisco’s performing arts district (across the street from Davies Hall musicians’ entrance). City Arts & Lectures restored and reopen the stunning 1,687-seat hall in 2013 (it was closed to the public for over thirty years). The hall features original architectural details, excellent acoustics, and a well-designed layout with unobstructed views throughout the orchestra and balcony, as well as state of the art lighting, a Meyer Sound system, new curtains, plush upholstered seats, newly decorated green room, and a dressing room. The Nourse is an ideal venue for a wide range of performances and a uniquely beautiful setting.
A branch of the legendary Green Apple Books (6th & Clement), situated just outside of Golden Gate Park.
San Francisco Zen Center is a Soto Zen community where the offerings of zazen, study and work practice are available to a diverse population of students, visitors, lay people, priests, and monks. All are welcome.
Perhaps the most stylish bookstore in the city, Black Bird Bookstore is nestled in the Outer Sunset. The bright and modern shop features custom, built-in shelving displaying carefully curated titles covering several genres and topics, and their focus is on quality of books over sheer quantity. They also offer a charming play area for kids and an outdoor garden and shed.
Hours: Mon.-Thur, 9am to 10pm; Fri-Sat, 9am to 10:45pm; Sun 10am to 10pm
Pegasus on Solano is a beautiful, large, sunny store on the top block of Solano. Pegasus offers a huge selection of new, used and sale books, restocked daily, and a distinctive selection of magazines and greeting cards.
The Foundation of the Sacred Stream is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the wisdom of ancient spiritual and healing traditions into the consciousness of those interested in being of service in the world.
Chronicle Books is an independent publisher based in San Francisco and they’ve been making their mark on our local and global book community since the Summer of Love. Their headquarters in South Beach is located inside an old maritime machine shop and warehouse. There, they have four floors of publishing services and a storefront on the ground floor. You can also find their books and a wide selection from their publishing partners at a second location at the Metreon.
If you’re looking for a pleasant place to peruse a lot of books, seek no further! Since 1992, Dog Eared Books has been supplying a book-hungry San Francisco with new, used, and remaindered books as well as magazines, calendars, and notebooks. We’re a general interest store, so we have a little of everything, but we do specialize in Beat, off-beat, small press, and local literature. Our staff of is happy to help you locate specific titles or you can roam around discovering wondrous obscurities you never knew you couldn’t live without.
The Gourmet Ghetto of North Berkeley is the birthplace of California cuisine with Chez Panisse, the original Peet’s Coffee, and the Cheeseboard, and much more!
Borderlands Books is a San Francisco independent bookstore specializing exclusively in science fiction, fantasy and horror.
The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller, Since 1851
If you’re looking for a pleasant place to peruse a lot of books, seek no further! Since 1992, Dog Eared Books has been supplying a book-hungry San Francisco with new, used, and remaindered books as well as magazines, calendars, and notebooks. We’re a general interest store, so we have a little of everything, but we do specialize in Beat, off-beat, small press, and local literature. Our staff of is happy to help you locate specific titles or you can roam around discovering wondrous obscurities you never knew you couldn’t live without.