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    Dym - Books & Boba

    4.6 (46 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 6:30 pm

    Dym - Books & Boba Photos

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    Just one of many Bookshelves with great selections
    Cesar C.

    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!

    Mia T.

    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.

    Kayla D.

    ~ 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.

    Ashley J.

    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!

    Learning to play Mahjong.
    Audrey G.

    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.

    Inside books for sale
    Jarenn N.

    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!

    Brown sugar golden milk tea
    Jenny A.

    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!

    Inside
    Vince P.

    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!

    Outside
    Yvonne B.

    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.

    Menu
    Nathan P.

    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.

    Julienne D.

    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.

    Andrew C.

    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!

    Drink menu
    Tushita H.

    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 :)

    Milk tea boba

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    16 days ago

    SGV Passport brought us to north Pasadena to try this place. It's cute and drink was good. Thank you sorry forgot to take a pic

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    11 months ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Dym - Books & Boba

    Hi. Anyone know the business hour is ? Thanks! :)

    10AM- 6:30PM!

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    Review Highlights - Dym - Books & Boba

    It's a cute cozy spot in north Pasadena, almost Altadena.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    My go to bookstore for specific finds I need, and when I don't wanna support big box stores. These…read moreguys are informed, kind, and well inventoried! They carry new and old books with VERY large selections. Their manga and comic section is really great, and I love to pop in to see what's new. I think they understand there's lots of art students nearby that love these books! :) Thank you, book alley. They helped me snag a specific book I really wanted to avoid buying from amazon, and couldn't find anywhere else! Make sure, if you're in the same boat, give them a call and ask if they can do the same for you! It might incur a fee, but they got my book to me within a week and I didn't have to pay extra! :) Wahoo!

    Book Alley is a cool place to browse if you love books and records. They have a great mix of new…read moreand used books, and it's the kind of bookstore where you can easily lose track of time wandering the shelves. The staff on the floor are engaging and genuinely helpful when you're searching for a particular find. That said, my experience selling books was disappointing. The process felt impersonal, and the seller/owner was not particularly engaging. One example: I brought in a brand-new book that originally cost $40 and was offered only a $1 store credit. I understand used bookstores have to make a profit, but the experience left me feeling like my books would have been better off in a friend's library. Great place to browse and buy, but I would lower expectations if you're planning to sell.

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    We stumbled upon this book store in Pasadena and had a wonderful experience. The owner was…read moredelightful and provided amazing customer service. Upon entering there are towers of books all around, so much so that it's a bit difficult to walk around, though they appeared to have been in the midst of reorganizing and cataloguing new inventory. Regardless, it was like a treasure hunt to find books that piqued my interest. The prices were great. I'll definitely visit again in the future! The owner did mention that she had some personal matters to attend to the next few weeks, so the hours would be sporadic. If you love supporting small local bookshops, I recommend giving this place a visit!

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    The Last Bookstore - Have a seat, it's quite warm. #heater

    The Last Bookstore

    4.5(2.7k reviews)
    11.1 miDowntown
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    It's an overdue review, but it's a landmark, super unique spot, and a must if you love books, or if…read moreyou want to take really nice photos that are book themed in some way or form (think magical library themed, etc.). The times that I've gone, we've walked from Little Tokyo, but know that you might have to walk through some sketch areas and one time that we visited someone was having an episode outside, but truly that's just another day in LA if anything. Staff here is SUPER knowledgeable. I mention an obscure, STEM related subject, the gentleman working led us to the exact general area and part of the shelf and then pulled several books that were related to the topic that I was inquiring about. Insane. Also the books are super affordable too. In a day and age when literacy rates are abysmal and physical media is perishing, this is awesome. There's also the option to sell and donate to the Last Bookstore, I'd look at their website for details and it's not only just books here, there's CD's, vinyls, and DVD's, and again, physical media heaven. It's just so mesmerizing to see the architecture and decor here, especially how they use books as artwork and how they're arranged into shapes and into photo ops as well. Definitely lots to explore and of course read and dig into.

    to the owner defending their fowl behavior, lie and say…read morethat I'm not a repeat customer, but I have spent thousands of dollars in here totaled up upon my visits, have came multiple times on many occasions to buy vinyls, matcha, and clothes from gimmie danger.. I'm literally your neighbor residing 2 blocks away.I normally get Matcha upstairs from the neighboring cafe before entrance and have been coming down here on my days off for the past four to fives months along with friends with the EXACT SAME BAG that was worn the day of the incident. This time did not even make it into the store to spend my money, was singled out because I was alone with my dog with no matcha rather than with friends and a drink so the attitude and demeanor towards me were completely different upon entry. My average purchase in this store each time I shop is from two to $400. The video attached you are saying your security guard is remaining calm but if you actually listen to it, your security guard is mocking me and saying "ha ha you can't come in ha ha you can't come in" on video (I only took out my phone because your "security" told me his name was "a***hole" and was telling me to get the f**k out and spend my money elsewhere"!) the manager was called because of him saying this with a horrible attitude and him cursing at me and rather than your manager, stepping in and taking appropriate action, he let his guard continue to use foul language and aggressively conversate with me having a completely horrible attitude, so yes after 7 minutes of being cursed out and degraded by your "security" and then your "manager" not handling the situation properly, I had every right to be upset and finally respond back with the same words your guard used with me but somehow as a loyal customer getting harassed with those words thrown at me many times first while trying to spend my hard earned money with a small business, im in the wrong... got it. I will never be returning, and I will be spreading the word of how horrible your business and customer service is to other locals of Dtla. I guess supporting a small local business isn't the move and will gladly take my money to Barnes and nobles how your own Securty guard recommended me to while he was cursing me out saying he doesn't give a f how much I spend or about my business

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    The Last Bookstore - 2nd floor

    2nd floor

    The Last Bookstore - Book Photo Op

    Book Photo Op

    The Last Bookstore - Welcome to The Last Bookstore.

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    Alexandria Bookstore is one of those rare places that feels magical the moment you walk in. The…read moreselection is thoughtfully curated, with everything from spiritual and metaphysical books to unique gifts and meaningful finds you don't see everywhere else. The atmosphere is calm, welcoming, and full of character. You can take your time browsing without feeling rushed, and there's something about the energy of the space that feels grounding and inspiring at the same time. The staff is kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful if you're looking for something specific or just exploring. It's the kind of bookstore you leave feeling a little lighter and more connected. A true Pasadena treasure. I always find something meaningful here.

    I've been shopping at this store for the past seven years and have always enjoyed the atmosphere…read more The employees have been friendly, although they don't always acknowledge you unless you approach them first for assistance. Unfortunately, my experience this past December left me with a bad impression. I stopped in to buy Christmas gifts and while I was being helped by the employee at the register, I asked if they happened to have small handouts explaining the properties of a few crystals that came from the glass shelves. They weren't sure, so they asked the older employee/manager standing nearby. His response was rude. He came over and said they would have to print one out and didn't have time to do that. I wasn't expecting anyone to go out of their way to print something--I was just asking in case they had copies available at the front. A polite "no, we don't" would have been fine. Instead, the sharp tone was embarrassing, especially since it happened in front of other customers, the employee helping me, and my partner. I still purchased my items, but the interaction left me hesitant to return. This is a shop that should feel warm, welcoming, and relaxing considering what it offers. Nobody should leave feeling uncomfortable after a simple question.

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    Found some treasures

    Alexandria II Bookstore - Jewelry & crystals

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    Dym - Books & Boba - bookstores - Updated September 2026

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