I've been a customer for over 5 years now; I reside in WA state but it's always a must stop for me…read morewhile in SoCal or when I need some inspiration online, always an amazing shopping experience because of the impeccable and personable service directly from the Owner - Activist - Community Ally that Long Beach is lucky to have! Books, prints, zines and stickers for all budgets, the selection is incredible, well curated and the value of your purchase right on point with the agenda and the importance of the mission PATM Books takes its pride on.

What a great little bookstore!…read more Carefully curated and well organized. I agree with many of the other reviews; great selection, friendly staff (with wonderful recommendations, too!). Support local business!

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!

A small bookstore with hand-picked books featuring Latine authors. The owners got me hooked on…read moreMexican gothic authors! When I'm in Long Beach, I love swinging by the shop.

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!

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!

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.

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.

This is one of two Barnes & Noble locations in Long Beach; this store - newly remodeled as of…read moreNovember 2025 - is in the Marina Pacifica plaza along with AMC Theaters, Ralph's, and Nordstrom Rack. By far, it's one of the most beautiful bookstores I've been to! A giant floral arrangement greets you the moment you walk in. The space lets in plenty of soft, bright light and there are cognac-colored armchairs spread throughout where you can pick up a book and read awhile. Even the counter says "words are magic," and I tend to agree! Layout-wise, new releases and vinyls are found toward the front, then fiction on the right, fantasy, kids in the middle/back, games and puzzles left/back, and gifts and journals front left next to the registers. There is no cafe at this location (although there is at the B&N Towne Center). I had a pleasant experience, albeit brief, with the associate who helped ring me up. Of course, B&N is retail pricing so items aren't necessarily cheaper, but I'm newly signed up to their membership and sometimes the 10% discount that fetches you comes out to be a little less expensive (e.g. Blackwing pencils, Rifle Paper). Plus, they often run promotions for rewards members, both free and paid, such as journals earning extra stamps during the second half of January. So keep an eye out for those deals!

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 was there for the first time this past Saturday for the Violet Grohl show. The band was amazing…read more The reason I'm giving two stars is because there was no line control outside. Patrons were cutting in line and arguing and no one from the store was helping. Employees were told several times and they just didn't seem to care and nothing was said to anyone causing the disturbances. When I called today and told the person about what went on, I believe he said his name was Brandon, he said that people need to be better in line and not cut because they were really busy and did their best. I went there to have fun and not to fend off people cutting in line or arguing with each other. Also, the reason I gave two stars is because I ordered an album online from their store that was exclusive to Record Store Day and the order went through and my credit card was charged. I was very excited since that album was sold out everywhere. Two days later, I get an email from Fingerprints saying they are out of stock and canceled the order. When I called and asked, the explanation was the "count was off" and they sold more than they had. My experience with this store has not been good except for the actual concert that took place inside of it. He said sorry you had a bad experience and that was that. No offer to try to get me the album I ordered. I also had to ask when I'll get my credit card charge back. I'm still unclear about that. Look, I know this store is busy and especially right now because of Record Store Day but to let customers order actually go through and for two days let them think they're getting what's sold out everywhere just to tell them oh we made a mistake with the count, is just not good business. I was counting on them.

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!

Selection and service. Love their polished rocks with sayings on them…read more Cards also!

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

We were just in the San Perdro area to get some caffeine and step into a Nostalgia (from Inside Out…read more2) dream world! They have books and vinyl and tapes and CDs. I bought a copy of a mythology book from my childhood and a accordion for my husband. Definitely worth checking it out for unique purchases! The owner was very friendly and made a deal wish us because we paid cash.

The thing about bookstores these days, is there just aren't enough of them. And as such, any…read morebookstore is a good bookstore. Really. As far as I'm concerned, anyone with enough guts and conviction who opens a bookstore, deserves an award. But what makes a truly important and significant bookstore? Community is important. One that serves its area and brings people together. And to do this, it takes focus. Unless you're amazon, you're going to go broke in a hurry trying to please everyone at your bookstore. So what should we focus on? Maybe something everyone has a connection to, like FOOD. Which brings us to Kitchen Lingo. Hidden in plain sight on the 4th Street Corridor in Long Beach, sits this eclectic and well curated slice of culinary paradise. It is entirely without pretense. Selling both attractively well priced used books and current titles by today's most relevant food authorities, there is something for every reader. And as I sit here writing this, I look around and realize that my wife easily owns enough cookbooks to open up her own bookstore but somehow always seems to find something she needs when we visit. But let's go back to community for a moment. There is always something being planned at Kitchen Lingo. A food demonstration, an author event, etc.. I even noticed that there is a Cake Picnic coming up in June. Of course these are all things that bring people together and create value. This is no accident. Kitchen Lingo's owner, Matt Miller is no stranger to food and its preparation. Having spent years in the trenches, his knowledge of food is extremely deep and he's very easy to talk to. He also usually has a few tricks up his sleeve too. Like good coffee beans to use as a rub or a hot tip on an amazing olive oil. And when all is said and done, he is truly the greatest part of Kitchen Lingo. We should all feel grateful having someone like him supporting food culture in our area. And maybe until he gets his award for opening a bookstore we can all just keep buying lots of books from him. That should help at least a little;)

Such a cool little spot and glad we decided to take a walk after our breakfast because we would…read morehave never known this was here. I am a huge lover of books and collecting books! I try to read 100 books per year so when I saw there was a books tore I had to check it out. The owner greeted us as soon as we walked in. He let us know about the tour that was going to start in 45 minutes and I wish we had time to spare to take the tour, but unfortunately we did not. The store has so many cool books related to anything that happens in the kitchen. They have books on Mexican cooking, vegan dishes, italian feasts, and so much more. Such a great variety of anything you could think of and all at a great price. I scanned the books really quick since we were on a time crunch, but I would love to go back to check it out and take my time browsing. Also, the tours they host sound pretty good so I will definitely be signing up for one of those. Can't wait to visit again.