From Manhattan Beach to Montrose, from West Hollywood to Westchester to West LA, from Studio City to Pasadena to Santa Monica, with Culver City in between, 13 independent bookstores across the greater Los Angeles region are joining forces to create an unforgettable weekend for Los Angeles’s bibliophiles.
The inaugural Los Angeles Indie Book Crawl will take place on Friday, July 24, Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, during regular store hours (check website for information).
This special event, modeled after popular book crawls in San Diego and Seattle, is an invitation for readers to explore the diversity of LA’s indie bookstores, shop local, and have fun while discovering a new favorite read and a new favorite spot to get properly lost in. The event is free and open to everyone.
Find a new favorite book, make some friends, and become a Los Angeles expert as you traverse Los Angeles’ literary landscape. To participate, visit any one of the bookstores anytime between July 24-26, and make your first purchase of at least $10. From there, you will receive your Book Crawl Passport and first passport stamp. Then simply visit the next bookstore (in no particular order) and make a purchase of $10 or more at each stop. Many prizes and exclusive merchandise are available at every store. Hit as many as you can — the more you visit, the more prizes you accrue, and the more of LA’s diverse and welcoming literary scene you get to explore.
Each store has listed their most iconic Los Angeles landmarks as well as neighborhood gems you can add to your L.A. book crawl itinerary.
People who get their passports stamped at all 13 stores will be entered to win a grand prize, $25 gift cards at each store.
“Independent bookstores are having a resurgence,” says Jennifer Caspar, founder and owner of Village Well Books & Coffee, an independent bookstore and café located in downtown Culver City, opened in 2020. “They are the third places people need more than ever in this era of digital optimization which can be very alienating and lead to loneliness. People still like to browse, touch and see physical books, and hang out in stores that are third places, where community and culture – and sometimes coffee! – meet. We are modeling our event after the highly popular San Diego Book Crawl and are thrilled that so many great stores are joining together to explore L.A.’s literary scene.”
Supporting independent bookstores in Los Angeles sustains the city’s diverse culture, keeps money in the local economy, and provides vital spaces to read, work and simply be in community with others. Indie shops, the backbone of L.A.’s literary and culture ecosystem, offer human-curated recommendations and serve as essential hubs for local authors, book clubs, and grassroots civic engagement.
Participating stores:
Annabelle’s Book Club LA (Studio City)
The Book Jewel (in the heart of Westchester)
Book Soup, bookseller to the great and famous (West Hollywood)
Chevalier’s Books (Larchmont Village)
Children’s Book World & CBW Teens & Adults (West Los Angeles)
diesel, A Book Store (Santa Monica)
Malik Books (Culver City)
Once Upon A Time, America’s Oldest Children’s Bookstore (Montrose)
pages: a bookstore (Manhattan Beach)
The Ripped Bodice, A Romantic Bookstore (Culver City)
Skylight Books (Hollywood/Los Feliz)
Village Well Books & Coffee (Culver City)
Vroman’s Bookstore (Pasadena)
For hours, location, a description of each store, and their event schedules for the weekend, visit: https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/about-5
For more information on the crawl, visit https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/, and follow on Instagram (@laindiebookcrawl) for updates, tips, and more.
Participants are encouraged to use public transit whenever possible to visit any or all of the stores. Check this custom transit map for information on Los Angeles Metro and bus accessibility.
