I absolutely loved this bookshop! The atmosphere was cozy and I found so many books in the adult…read moresection I hadn't ever seen before! The woman working the register was super sweet and is honestly, by far the BEST service I've ever gotten in a bookstore. I didn't catch her name but she was friendly and was so informed with different books, I found myself jotting down her recommendations! I walked away with a new book (thanks to the bookseller for the recommendation) and honestly, yes! I'm loving it so much! When you buy from here, you're supporting a small Afro-Latina owned business, I will be returning as much as possible!

What a sweet little bookstore. The owner is so engaging and informative. I especially love their…read morechildren's books.

We came to Retro Row on the 4th Friday event. So while walking throughout the street, I stumbled…read moreupon the bookstore, which has been on my bucket list for a while. First off, I love the diversity of books, cool merch, and welcoming store. I love how it is Filipino-owned, and they feature books that highlight our society's differences. Plus, you can actually meet the owner, which is a plus. She is amazing and super friendly. Most book stores can be a bit expensive, but not here. Prices are great. The store itself is a bit small, so on busy days/nights, it can get pretty crowded. It is worth the visit. Lastly, this is another bookstore that I can check off my list. Really cute with a great selection of books with cute decor. Make sure to pick up one of the cute bookmarks or tote bags she sells because they are pretty cool.

I was walking down the street on 4th Street on a Saturday afternoon when I just happened to pass by…read morethis quaint and lovely little bookstore! As I walked in the store I was greeted with a warm smile and a welcome! I was kindly informed if I had any questions to feel free to ask them! I was grateful for their help. I walked in one of the rooms and it was a treasure trove of books! They were well organized and labeled by groups. I was just browsing around until suddenly one of the books caught my eye! It's called The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi. The description intrigued me so I decided to buy it! As I walked towards the cash register, I noticed the cutest little finds I didn't know I needed. So I got a cool looking sticker too! My whole experience felt warm, welcoming and personable. I'll most definitely will be coming back! This place is a delight!

I definitely pictured something else before meeting some friends here a few weeks ago…read more I have to say I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed and anxious. I did look at the small childrens book section and did not end up purchasing anything as they were priced higher than I was expecting. I also did a quick walk around before letting my friends know I was going to head outside, and most of them followed me as they were also feeling overwhelmed. The one guy I saw was very helpful and friendly with showing me where the childrens books were.

What a privilege it is to have a place like Planet Books! Not having read any reviews before coming…read morein, I didn't know what to expect. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be to understate it. Rows and rows of books greet you, from $1 (yes, $1!) paperbacks to vintage mysteries to leather-bound volumes in the back and even a small vinyl collection. There's also a smattering of unique limited edition prints, photographs, and paraphernalia throughout. Pull up a chair and read awhile, too; plenty of armchairs stationed throughout the store. I found a copy of Dave Eggers' Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (which has been on my list awhile) right at the door, and it took all my self-control to not leave with every beautiful copy of Whitman or Steinbeck. This would be such a great place to come with fellow book lovers or to find a unique gift for a bookworm in your life (or yourself). No doubt I will be back - and soon!

This store made my head spin a bit but used bookstores can be an adventure. It is bigger than it…read morelooks from the outside so be prepared to spend some time here. There is definitely the appearance of organization here. Biography is labeled in this section, military is over here, mystery over there, and so on. But while you probably will find some Agatha Christie in the mystery section, which makes sense, you will probably also find some Christie over in fiction. It is the same with other authors. I don't know if this is the store's doing or whether customers are shifting books around intentionally or otherwise but it is a little maddening at times. Most serious book hunters, especially those found rummaging through dusty used bookstores like yours truly, don't mind spending extra time looking for books. The hunt is part of the fun. They have some real gold nuggets here, if you spend the time. Also, speaking of gold nuggets, although Western is probably not the most popular genre these days, the Western section here is one of the larger ones I have ever seen. This store is well worth a visit. I found nearly all the prices to be extremely reasonable. Free and easy street parking all around. The counter fellow, who may have been the owner for all I know, was a real character and very pleasant.

Revisit? Maybe, once a year or so…read more I would love to be allowed to refresh this place and let my inner Marie Kondo loose. Ah! I love the iconic, inviting Once Read Books in huge blue letters on the building. I enjoy the layout of the shop and how it feels like you can hide and get lost. There's a pleasant muffled bookstore hush. The man behind the counter is nice. Pricing seems fair. All good elements, I just think the book selection, decor, and tidiness could be improved. Ideas: Expand the kids section and add more board books Include more recent titles in the fiction and cooking sections Try to keep popular authors in stock (couldn't find any Stephen King) Cute new chairs, especially in the kids section (love a bookstore with chairs) New rug in the kids section Clean up the random boxes of books near the counter Update the genre and author signs Anyway, even with all that, it's still fun to browse here. If you're looking for older titles, magazines, etc., this is definitely a place you should hit up.

Great bookstore, but it's a lot more cramped because they gave up downstairs space. I love their…read moredisplays, collection of books, games, toys and esthetics. The staff is nice and helpful. I have one major problem, they NEED TO CHANGE THE AIR FILTER IN THE restroom (esp the woman's). It has never been changed because it so filthy. Please, CHANGE your air filter because it's a health (allergy) inducing problem.

I really was looking forward to this store re-opening but it was a massive downgrade. Pretty sad…read morewhat has become of it. It used to be open and airy and inviting. Now it's just a maze of bookshelves from floor to ceiling, you can't see further than 20 feet in any direction, there are no visible "aisles" to speak of, and it's literally a maze to get to the back of the store. Did I mention it's a maze?! The bookshelves don't follow any pattern, they are just randomly strewn about and some books are divided between different areas. Some sections got MASSIVELY downgraded! The technology and science books are a TINY little area that is literally about 10 feet wide. Meanwhile the Anime/manga section is absolutely HUGE and takes up several walls. Ridiculous. The workers are all great and it seems like they aren't too happy with the remodel either, as they are constantly asked where everything is now. I have no reason to come here anymore, I'll drive a little further to the Towne Center location.

If you've lived in Long Beach for any length of time, you undoubtedly know of Fingerprints. After…read more30+ years, it is undoubtedly the largest music store in Long Beach, and one of the largest in SoCal. We were there for Record Store Day. Loved the special deals they offered that day and having the chance to listen to a few bands over the course of the day (and get some merch signed!). I think their old store was better for listening, since there was a clear area for the audience--in the current store, we were tucked between shelves of merchandise--but it still worked and we had no problem seeing or hearing the bands. I particularly enjoyed seeing Violet Grohl and her band that day. Dave Grohl was there, but as a member of the audience. It was fun rocking out with him to his daughter's tunes (even if he was a couple of rows away). Love the staff. Rand, one of the owners, in particular, is incredibly knowledgeable. He also does a great job of lining up events and bands. We had such a great day at Fingerprints!

I've been a Fingerprints customer since moving to Long Beach in 2023 and have loved the 4th Street…read morelocation. I've attended countless signings and performances, and I buy a vinyl there almost every month to keep growing my collection. As an LA native, I grew up going to the original Amoeba in Hollywood and continued shopping there after they moved to their current Hollywood Blvd location. I've always appreciated the events they host, and when I moved to LB, Fingerprints felt like LB's version of Amoeba because of its incredible lineup of signings and performances. Since moving to their new Bixby Knolls location, the event experience has taken a step backward. The new space isn't designed to accommodate the crowds these events attract. They proudly increase the vinyl prices for these events to pay for staffing these events while admission continues to be oversold. The result is an experience that feels more focused on maximizing attendance than ensuring fans can actually enjoy the event. I attended the Charli XCX Q&A yesterday, and the stage was so low that I couldn't see anything. Within two minutes of the event starting, I requested a refund because the room was clearly over capacity. Unless you were around 5'6" or taller, the only way to see Charli was through other people's phone screens. When I asked for a refund, the employee handing out vinyl records told me, "Well, it's a Q&A. The whole point is to listen." I respectfully disagreed. Seeing the artist is part of the experience, especially at an in-person event, but my refund request was denied. Even if the focus was solely on listening, the experience still fell short. Employee phone notifications were constantly going off and the front door opened every few minutes as employees loudly turned away customers because it was a private event, and outside street noise frequently overpowered the conversation. At times, I could hear phone notifications and traffic more clearly than Charli herself. I think Fingerprints hosts some of the best artist events and I want to see them succeed in their new location. The event setup needs to improve- a raised stage, better crowd management, clearer policies on phone usage, and limiting attendance to what the space can comfortably accommodate would go a long way toward creating an experience that matches the quality of the artists they bring in.

I love this store. They carry unique gifts aimed for those people in recovery. From books, t-shirts…read morekeep sakes gifts to celebrate milestone anniversaries in recovery. Great service as well friendly and helpful.

I have been going to Easy Does It Books & Gifts since it opened in 1997. Although I have moved from…read moreLong Beach to South O.C. and cannot frequent nearly as much I love that it's still going. When Richard passed I was so worried that this little shop would not continue, but thankfully it lives on. I recently swung in to get a friend a 40 Year chip and what a selection they have. Along with medallions, they have anything and everything you could possibly want or need when it comes to recovery. Whether you want gifts or official recovery tools they got you covered. The prices are competitive, the service is outstanding and the store is just a cool place to shop and hang when you're in the area. So glad it's carrying on!

Very cool place to check out. A San Pedro gem! I love walking thru and checking out all the vintage…read moreitems. Their selection is unmatched and very friendly staff.

Truly unique stuff! Second hand books and albums and old…read moremovie posters. You have to experience the Grand Emporium to truly appreciate it.