A legacy business is defined by the number of years it's been operating. Learning today that Dym -- Books & Boba opened just one week before the Eaton fire and is thriving, I think that deserves a special mention and a beautiful story for its legacy! Come be transported with a great selection of books and pair it with your favorite tea, coffee, or matcha freshly prepared by friendly owner, Desiree! I enjoyed a refreshing iced coffee with boba (warm and soft ... so yummy!) and happily will return many times. Will you join? A must try! read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Just one of many Bookshelves with great selections - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Cute little spot at the northern dead of Los Robles and Woodbury Rd. In Altadena (though the zip code is Pasadena). I went this past Sunday for the Book Swap that was advertised on Eventbrite... this was located in the breezeway outside, not inside of the actual bookstore. I did go into the bookstore and they had a variety of genres and little nick-nacks for bibliophiles to purchase. I didn't partake of the Boba (perhaps another visit) but I did have a nice walk around. Parking lot is tight here, but know there is parking on the back side of the building off Los Robles. I must mention that there are a few restaurants in this corner and they smelled delicious! This location does a lot of activities in the community be sure to check their monthly calendar and IG account. Respectfully Reviewed. read more

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Very cute local Dena bookstore with unique flavor offerings for tea drinks. I tried the pandan matcha with lychee jelly. I would go 25% sweet next time. I also would love to try the Baklava drink next! The books are readable and offer insight into various cultures. I already have eyes on the ones I will purchase! read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

I was in the area shooting a commercial and took a break and web for a walk and noticed this cute coffee and book shop. I didn't know what to order so they recommended this Indian latte it was different tasting but I enjoyed having something different. The bookstore had very unique collections very cute and full of sunshine. read more

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~ Open till 6:30PM & Lots of Options! ~ There's so many things you can buy here! Books, sweet goodies, boba, journals, pins, bookmarks, candles, tote bags etc!!! The cookies here are so yummy! And I love the book options. The prices here are justified. read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

I love this place. I don't know how I stumbled upon their insta but I did and went to a mahjong Monday! I've been a few times now, and my friend and I really look forward to these meetups. The drinks are good, the people are friendly, and books! They have other events as well that I'm looking forward to attending. More bookstores and coffee shops should start hosting events. read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Learning to play Mahjong. - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

Can't stress how important it is to support your local bookstores!! A major plus since this store also serves boba?! Super unique and one of a kind! This review has been long overdue in my drafts that I've forgot to publish, but better late than never. Thankfully, DYM was left unscathed by the Altadena fires. There's interior seating to enjoy a refreshing drink while reading a book. I tried the almond milk tea (less sweet) and liked it a lot! A lot of great book options from children's, fantasy, romance, and others. There's easy parking in the lot directly in front of the store. Highly recommend you to stop by and check out DYM! read more

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This place is alright! The parking lot is small but plenty of street parking available. Boba is ok, not a lot of flavour and texture is ok as well. Service is ok, not over the top friendly, but ok. Ambiance is nice too, I like the organisation of books but items can get pricy. read more

Free parking in a shared lot, love the book selection of fantasy, BIPOC authors, boba and coffee, etc! Owner is super sweet! Super excited for my blind date with a book! Also loved the flavor of the jasmine lychee boba! read more

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Such a cute bookstore and boba shop! It was a lot smaller than I thought but it's so cozy and charming! The owner and staff are so nice and welcoming and I love the selection of trinkets, books and plants that they have! I got the brown sugar golden milk tea with boba and it was so good! I loved the packaging. This store just had the cutest eye for detail, and I can't wait to come back! read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Brown sugar golden milk tea - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

Dym - Books & Boba is one of the coolest concepts to have opened up and a welcome addition to the Pasadena/Altadena community! This spot is community-based bookstore highlight awesome BIPOC authors while also serving up amazing boba drinks as well. This spot is located in a plaza with a decent amount of parking spots and there is also street parking around the area as well. Inside, their shop is like 60% bookstore with a wide selection of different books and then 40% boba shop. They have about 3-4 tables for seating inside and then a nice patio area with a couple more tables for seating. For their drink options, they have a wide selection of different boba, coffee, and speciality drinks to choose from. For this stop, I got an Iced Peach Blossom Tea and wifey got a book of her choice! Overall, we are glad we got the chance to stop by and support an awesome AAPI-owned business. All of the staff here, including the owner herself, are all very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. We will definitely be back next time to grab another drink and buy another book! read more

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One of my top saved bookstores in SGV, I was so excited to check out Dym. They have a lovely selection of books, ranging from non-fiction, fiction, sci-fi, romantasy, and local authors. Loved browsing the local authors section! They offer a few cards and cute pins too. As for their drinks, their menu is super vast covering everything from honey milk teas to specialty fruit teas. I was indecisive and didn't get a drink. But I found a nice book!! Located in a quiet plaza, this place is perfect for book lovers and cafe strollers alike. read more

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What a fantastic little store. Great tea and coffee, I've had both the turmeric tea latte and standard latte and both were delicious. Don't let the size of the book offerings fool you, the curation is phenomenal. If you're looking for your next good read this shop should be your go to. read more

It's a pretty small boba shop and bookstore combo. There were a large selection of drinks ranging from matcha to coffee to regular boba tea options. The atmosphere was nice and cozy with parking behind the store. The only remark I downside I found was the boba was a bit too soft and didn't have that chewy texture that I liked. read more

Super cute cafe! Not only are the drinks yummy, but the vibes are immaculate. Casual bookstore atmosphere where you can drink your lattes and bobas and either chat with friends or read a book. Good range of genres from what I can tell. Clean space, and the owner is super friendly! Definitely worth a stop. read more

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Ive been following Dym in tiktok for a while, so once they finally opened, I had to go try it. I love the concept of books and bobax reminds me of Barnes&Noble vibes. The owner was there when we went and she was super friendly as well. Drinks were good, I got the Madagascar Vanilla Latte and I really liked that I could still taste the coffee through the Vanilla. So many places just drown the coffee in sugar! Hope that Dym continues to grow and wishing them success! read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

Lovely new addition to our corner of Altadena. They opened just as the Eaton fire swept through, and Dym provides a spot of calm if you need to slow down and drink a boba tea along with the company of a good book. Desiree stocks her shelves with an eclectic collection of books for adults as well as a growing children's section. If you don't find a book you like, she can order books for you too. Support local! read more

Starting 2025 with a review for a new upcoming spot that I hope has plenty of success in the days to come. I've been a fan of this duo/couple for awhile. They've began a journey that not many are brave enough to do-- starting a business. They've grabbed their love for boba, books, and community and collided it all together. Stepping into it literally feels like a mini Ghilbi studio in its own right. It's theme and love for literacy is hard to miss. The potential of the space is incredible and has so much more to offer as it earns its residency in such a historic part of town. Excited to see what stories and memories get created at Dym. It has all the ability to hold space for future study dates, Boba catch ups, and even looks like a spot for meet cutes of all sorts. The owners are also aiming to fill their shelves representing authors of color while challenging everyone to diversify your mind. If you are seeking for a new boba & book adventure out in the Pasadena or Altadena area, don't skip seeing the growth and process of Dym unfold. It's going to be a lovely journey to watch as a future regular. read more

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Cute spot! The coffee I had was good and I appreciate the variety of milks and flavor options. The bookstore itself is quite cozy with a few spots to sit and read/enjoy your drinks. There is a good variety of books ranging from YA, social justice, romance, fantasy. I would like to see a few more books especially more current/NYT bestseller type books but the shop is still very new so they will probably have more books as they grow! Overall a good spot to stop and browse and grab a coffee or boba :) read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Drink menu - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

The book selection was small, but they had cute little trinkets. I ordered a jasmine black tea with boba. Unfortunately the boba was squishy and the actual milk tea was super watered down. It tasted like premade powder rather than fresh made tea. They do get an extra star because e the inside was cute and the worker was really nice. read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Milk tea boba - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

Made the small trip to check out this new indie book cafe! A combination of two of my favorite things: books and boba. Why hasn't anyone else thought of this before? It's a cute cozy spot in north Pasadena, almost Altadena. Their selection of books is carefully curated that lovers of all genres will find something they'll enjoy here. I picked up Docile by Hyeseung Song and the owner told me I was the first person to buy the book there. :) While I've turned into strictly an e-reader since I don't have much space to carry physical books, I'm willing to come by often to look for books to read in the future and to get gifts for friends and family here just to support this cute small business! I also happened to visit when they finally opened their beverage bar. We weren't able to try out the boba since they unfortunately just ran out when I got there, but the teas we had were still very good! I'm really looking forward to watching this place grow because I see the huge potential in this spot. Maybe some events or book clubs in the near future? read more

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Such a cute spot with such a nice seating area to read or journal, also great aux! If you're looking to get a little drinky and pick up a new read this is the spot read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

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What a lovely new local boba and book store! It's a combination of all things we love. A very good strawberry black milk tea (just wish it was a little stronger on the tea). They have some of the prettiest and most poignant local books as well. The big bonus is that it's in a mellow area with easy parking. Support this sweet local business that just opened in December after the wake of the Eaton fire. read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Strawberry boba milk tea and a new local book! - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

love Desiree and her delicious teas and boba. she has a thoughtfully curated collection of interesting books and organizes Fabulous community events as Neighborhood treasure! keep them Going as the community rebuilds! read more

We really needed a proper boba place in Altadena (I know it's not really in Altadena, but I'm claiming it anyways!) The idea of mixing boba with books was ingenious, so thank you so much for being so close to us. Desiree is so sweet, patient and good at her thing that we keep coming back for more. Hoping to join their book club as soon as we can. read more

Super cute bookstore. Very friendly owner. Best boba in 20 mile radius. Very interesting book collections. Great space.

Stopped by and grabbed an iced oat milk latte which hit the spot. And ordered a book that comes mouth in a couple weeks. The owner was friendly and knowledgeable. Will definitely be back! read more

Very cute, local spot. Loved the books and published works by smaller authors. They also host multiple community activities, like a book club, socials, painting workshops, etc. Great community hub. Some items can be a touch on the pricier end, but everything is super tasty. They also have an adopt a plant section, where you can take home your very own succulent for FREE. Owners are very nice, however, overall customer service can vary slightly. Overall, it's a great, small business that I wholeheartedly endorse and am grateful that it's joined the locally owned business community. read more

Desiree and her Book and Boba Shop are full of delights for the mind and palate. Not only is this an independent bookstore, but it also has lot of community building and community support. Delve deep into DYM Book and Boba Shop and find the goodness of humanity and greater Los Angeles right there in Pasadena. read more

Really want to support this new business and encourage others in the area to make it a regular stop in your routine. I checked it out very briefly on the second day after she opened her doors, and yesterday returned. Enjoyed a Persian Pistachio latte and a chat with my neighbor in outdoor seating under the old archway that back in the day was a "drive through" for a business there in good ol Hen's Teeth Plaza. They even welcomed my leashed, well-behaved pup to come in while I ordered my beverage and shopped the book selection. Treat yourself and check out Dym! read more

Nice selection of books and they offer a variety of drinks to enjoy while browsing. This place opened up shortly before the Eaton fire and immediately offered their space to help distribute needed resources to the community, along with their neighbor EZ Halal Market, which was great to see! Hope this place is around for a long time read more

Cute little book shop, but doesn't have a lot of options. Got Vietnamese coffee and strawberry black tea, both taste watered down.

The place is cute but unfortunately the drinks we had were watered down and the boba was mushy :( I feel like there are much better boba places for the same price point. read more

Little local place is on point. Yummy tea and sweet treat selections that aren't the norm. read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Ube brownie and mango green tea, so good. - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

Highly recommend this place it is great the boba was fantastic and the staff is really friendly they also had a great selection of books what a good experience read more

New favorite place!! Not only are the drinks delicious, the boba, coffee and the matcha, but they have the absolute best book selection. And the owner is the sweetest! read more

Dym - Books & Boba - Iced latte/ coffee - Bookstores Near Me - Pasadena, California

This store was so cute. The store is so community center. After the fires they helped the community by hosting a book drive.

Very cool selection of books by authors of color and our local genius Octavia, as well as classics by Steinbeck and Bradbury. Good boba too. As the sharp shock of devastation from the Altadena Fire just blocks away becomes a duller ache, a place like this, which was never intended to be a respite from that carnage, has ended up being just that. Viva Butler. Viva boba. read more

Such a cute bookstore! Loved the atmosphere and book selection. Also the Madagascar Vanilla Matcha was so good! Definitely will visit again

Decided to give this place a try after seeing everybody rave about it on TikTok and boy, I was not upset! I had the milk tea and it was excellent! They have a wide variety of books and the owners were so friendly and made me feel at home. I will definitely be going back!! read more