A true San Francisco gem and institution. They have a beautiful, unique and expertly curated collection of architecture and design books. There is really no other place like it in the Bay Area. The whole neighborhood around them is filled with other delightful sights (The Transamerica Building), shops (Isabel Marant, Paul Smith), and restaurants (Bix, Cotogna). Definitely worth a visit even if you're not into architecture and design. You'll be surprised at what you'll discover there. read more

I have walked past this place many times and finally stopped by last week looking for a gift for an architect friend. The customer service reminded me of another time. I showed up around 5:30 and didn't even realize they were closing, because I was so welcomed. The girl there quickly got an idea of what my friend might like and lead me around the shop, expertly pulling and explaining different books, and helped me choose a truly special one that spoke to a few of my friend's interests. I ended up wanting to read some of them myself even though I don't know anything about architecture. I'll definitely be back! read more

What a wonderfully curated collection of books. I could have easily spent the better part of a day perusing the shelves, but the store was soon closing for the day. (How wonderful this would be if it were a library with comfortable seating!) I would have liked to have found some fun, theme-related, non-book trinkets! I made a special trip here when recently visiting SF from out of town and it didn't disappoint. read more

I bought a book last week for $45. I went to track the order today but find out my order was cancelled. They sent me no email saying they cancelled it and they didn't refund my money. I'm currently trying to get them to answer their email. SCAM If you don't know your own inventory, don't try to sell it. If you can't communicate with your customers, you don't deserve to be selling anything to anyone. The word is incompetence. You stole $45 and will probably get away with it. Congrats, you are a rediculous business. Try next time? Just any effort at all thxxx. read more

customer service is pathetic. THREE workers and not one says hello . they just talk among themselves. talk about LOSERS, but they get paid for doing absolutely nothing. came in looking for landscape book but they just sit and talk among themselves. my guess is they are a bunch of protestors. i am white and clearly did not want to help an older white man. hope they close this dump down read more

I love specialty bookstores, especially when they are local classics. William Stout Architectural Books may be a candy store for the Designer crowd, but there are still lots of treats for the rest of us. My recent case in point is a neat collection of "Über Tourist" photos of San Francisco, all packaged in handsome wood bindery. There is no electronic download that can match the look and feel of this beauty. read more

Such an awesome hidden gem! I went in the other day and was greeted by a girl who clearly had a lot of knowledge on architecture and design and she was incredibly helpful! There truly is and endless supply of books about different architects, styles, regions, disciplines, etc. The store is so unique and if you're into architecture (I'm an interior design student) I highly recommend checking this place out! read more

William Stout Architectural Books - Just an example of the books that they carry! - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had passed this place many times without peeking inside and one day I looked and realized what a gem of store this place is! I decided to stop by earlier today to grab a belated gift for a friend who studied architecture and was so overwhelmed with all of the choices. I felt so bad because I came in ~6:10 & they close at 6:30 (but was still warmly greeted). Since I was short on time, I asked the cashier for advice on books for my friend and the woman was SO nice. She walked me through all of the latest architecture books, gave suggestions of her favorites, and explained in layman's terms what types of books are popular with architects (i.e. some famous Japanese architecture firms)! I will definitely be back with more time to spare! I am by no means an expert in any of the subject matter for their books but they are all gorgeous pieces of literature! Definitely worth the visit! read more

If you are lover of design, William Stout Books will inspire you. Its one of the best specialty bookstores in San Francisco, hands down, for design-afficiandos. read more

I've been coming here for years, but won't be returning after today. In the past, the staff has been soft-spoken, but knowledgeable and willing to help if asked. However, my last several visits have been met with worsening degrees of exhausted-acting snobbery and presumptuousness. Put simply, I don't want to be made to feel guilty for asking someone to do their job... I will try their Berkeley location this weekend, and hope to find a more accommodating staff. Otherwise, I'll be sticking to the easier / cheaper option: the Internet. read more

WHY WHY WHY would anyone give these people their money??? I went in today looking for the IDEO Method Cards (The only place to buy them) and was blown away at how R*U*D*E the 3 people working there were. Not a single one even lifted their eyes much less their big heads (ego?) and God forbid they acknlowledge me when i spoke to them. I don't shop anywhere that the employees don't smile at the customer and act happy to be there. This place has NOTHING that can't be found elsewhere and that's exactly where I'll go. read more

Wiliam Stout is probably the best art bookstore in San Francisco. Between architecture, design, photography, art history, they really do have an amazing selection of wonderful books. So why give them two stars? I'll tell you. 1. Overpriced. I'm sorry to say that I typically just go to William Stout, which is in my neighborhood, to peruse books, get some inspiration, and find books that I will eventually buy on Amazon instead because they are ridiculously overpriced. Ex: Yesterday I wanted to buy Euclid's Elements which W.S. sells for $60. Amazon: $37 new, free shipping, CLICK. Like many of your (now ex) customers, I'm a student and don't have the money to support my local pretentious brick and mortar establishment who's too angry at the fact that they're the last one to give you decent service. You're giving small business a bad name. 2. Rude Staff. It's not that they're just rude and couldn't give a whip about helping you, but there's this strong stench of egotism and snobbery and pretentiousness that seem to PERMEATE the whole place. Be warned that they all dress like 3rd year architecture students (you'll know what I'm talking about if you go there) and they have this Emo look smeared across their face like they're the troubled geniuses of the architecture and art world. And I thought New York was snobby... oh and if you look at them in the eyes when you talk to them you won't help but ask yourself: "is this guy stoned?" As amazing as the physical store is (taking out the boring snob factor), you can find almost everything they carry elsewhere for much cheaper. Imagine going into a bookstore like W.S. where someone actually cracks a half smile and will sacrifice, oh, 5 minutes? of their time to help you buy one of their overpriced items. Maybe you get into a slightly superficial but still pleasant conversation about contemporary architecture and design elements, perhaps a *gasp* suggestion on their part for other books, you know, someone who gives a crap. If I have to buy things from people who don't give a crap, then cut out the middle man. Thank you Amazon. read more

Torture, sweet torture! That's what I think to myself whenever I step in to this gem of a bookstore. I flip through all the modern architectural books and envision the house I'd build in SF when my numbers finally come up for the state lotto. Alas, the chances of that are slim to none but I love to come in here just to get inspired about the dream house that'll never be. And also to learn about those underground architects who are quietly making a name for themselves on the other side of the world. If you have a penchant for modern design and architecture like I do, you probably have already been here. If you haven't been, then go right ahead and subject yourself to the sweet torture within these walls! Yes, sir! Please, may I have another?! read more

Design books of all kinds, discretely tucked away on Montgomery Street. Worth the walk.

this place is so awesome but i had to leave before i spent $900. It is also in close proximity to the Scientologist "temple." I heard some of these wierdos chanting with the window open. Stay away from those dudes. read more

Confession: for years I have been saving their simple black paper bags with the clean white sticker. I have a stack now. Don't ask me why. In SF, Stout is to design books what Aquarius is to records. read more

Books galore about architecture, landscape architecture, construction & design-related topics. In piles. On the table. Along the wall. On shelves. Under the tables. On the main floor. Downstairs. Along the partitions. No matter where they are tucked, they have a smashing collection of published works from Alvar Aalto to Frederick Law Olmstead to FLW and everything in between. Go spend a little time and browse and see what's happening in the built world. It's pretty cool. read more

Amazing specialty bookstore. Huge collections. Well organized. They have a beautiful store front. The entrance is open and inviting. Upon entering I was immediately greeting by the staff, which took me by surprise. The bookshelves are neat and organized by categories. There is a basement level that has even more books. I recall Graphic Design, Gardening, Landscape, Furniture Design, and Interior Design. The upstairs is mainly architecture books. If I lived nearby I would go there in my freetime all the time! It is worth a visit just to see the variety of books they carry. read more

I just want to sleep here. It's like a treasure. They got so many books it is hard to make sense of the place. But maybe that is a good thing. I come here during my lunch sometimes and find myself always trying to stay an extra minute before I have to head back to the office. read more

I get lost in your books And I feel my spirits rise And I soar like the wind Is this love that I am in? Chorus: I don't mind not knowing what I'm headed for You can take me to your nooks... It's like being lost in heaven When I'm lost in all your books. ***if you guess this song correctly the first time, i will buy you one adult beverage of your choice.*** read more

This magical place is my favorite spot in SF. If you are even remotely interested in art, architecture or design you will fall in love with this cozy book store. One terrible thing, one that breaks my heart: The store closes on Sundays. The one day that I have time to spend and get lost in fun beautiful books is the day that no one can enter. This is the reason that I cannot spend my big bucks in luscious art books and the one reason that they got a star taken off. If you have time on your weekdays, be sure to enjoy this inspirational spot. read more

William Stout is a great hidden gem of a bookstore a block away from the Transamerica Pyramid. As its name suggests, William Stout is a specialty bookstore for architecture. But they also carry great selection on design and decorative arts. Though they have an impressive selection, I personally don't feel comfortable browsing too long and not buying since it's a small store with an attentive staff. read more

I design, therefor I am... I love design, I eat it, I sleep it, I talk it and from time to time I sh*t it. WSA is my external library with hand to find books for both design and architecture. I love to spend hours here browsing and buying. It's not uncommon to run into a colleague or friend when I'm here. Selection is impressive, staff very knowledgeable and they can get you hard to find editions. I looked for months on the internet to find a specific book for my collection. Within a few days Stout was able to confirm my requested order and less than a week in was on my bookshelf. Amazon can't compare to the service this business provides. read more

I'll give you the same advice I was given before going to William Stout: Leave your wallet at home. Seriously. This is THE bookstore for graphic designers and architects. If you should be so unlucky as to fall into either of those two classifications and enter this store, you may drop a lot of cash. And their books ... are somehow worth it. I know plenty of people will scout out books in a store and then purchase them on Amazon, but William Stout has the ability to intoxicate the senses and make you want to take that special book on home right away. You've been warned. read more

I love this bookstore. I am just off my 4th visit to San Francisco and William Stout is always on my must-do list. I'm not entirely sure what it is about the place, but it is always a joy to stop in. This time around, I scoured the downstairs a little more than in the past. I am currently obsessed with surface pattern and art, and I found all sorts of good books to scratch that itch. My husband and I made our purchase and were able to ship our books home, achieving two things - a) not having to lug them on the plane and b)having to pay sales tax (in our case the shipping was less expensive than the tax) read more

It's dangerous to me that this place is so close to where I live. I was an architectural tour guide in Chicago and miss talking about architecture on a daily basis. Thankfully during one of my photo walks in my neighborhood I found this place. It was closed so I tucked it into memory and finally I went in on a lark the other day just to browse and ended up falling in love with the place. They have pretty much every book on architecture and I'm sure if they don't have it in stock they can order it for you. The staff were friendly but not pushy and I will definitely be going here whenever I need an architecture fix...which is often. read more

This place is a shrine of amazing books. As an studying architect, this place is definitely a heaven of great books. Just a quick walk in this book store will inspire you. The shelves of books will leave you in awe. It's a pretty small space that's consist of two floors. They place their newer books upstairs at the ground floor. The basement has a more variety of design books. Their main focus is architecture (score for me) and their collection is mind blowing. I typically just walk in, find a book and sit on the floor for hours just to scan through as many as I could. I also purchase a few books here and there, you can definitely get the same book with a cheaper price on Amazon (or other book websites), but we need to help our local bookstores! Besides, William Stout might have books that you typically can't find anywhere else. The staff is nice. I really don't know what more you can ask for if you're looking for a great architectural book. (Also found in William Stout: Interior Design, Photography, Illustration, Typology, Graphics) What the hell, go on their website!! read more

Fantastic specialty book store . So many books that i would like to get my grubby hands on. two qualifications: 1) The staff is very hit or miss. some of them are fantastic and helpful, others not so much. 2) i find the store hard to navigate. They could definitely use a bigger space with more light and wider aisles. read more

This place has fabulous, sometimes hard to find art books. I was looking for a particular Walter De Maria book on Amazon and other book sources and could not find it. William Stout had it and sent it to me quickly in in great shape. I love this bookstore! _____________________ Update 7/31/07: The BEST art book store, hands down. Just spent about two hours downstairs going through the stacks finding all kinds of art books to buy. By the size of our bag, we should of went here last before walking over to Ybca. But, most worth it. read more

WHAT KIND OF PLACE... You should not be allowed in here if you are some kind of designer, architect, or student of the fields, cause you might not leave. The selection of books is immense, the place itself is cool as hell. read more

If I had all the money in the world, I would buy every book in this store and open up my own architecture library. I love this place to pieces, but avoid it like the plague. I can not leave here without dropping major dollars, and that's not always the best thing for a starving college student. If you come in here looking for something particular the staff is really friendly (if you can find them , heh ) and will help you find the book you want and be ready with tons of suggestions. Or if you don't know what you want, they will happily guide you in one direction or another. I have never had a bad experience here, except for the post wallet shock, but we all have our indulgences, and mine happens to be beautifully illustrated and expensive books on architecture... and of course food. I like to not so subtly drop hints about this place around Christmas and birthday time. read more

I love this place. Wall to wall books, stacked sideways, tall ways and spiral ways. It's just a lovely place to get lost and learn new things. I'm not an architect or designer - just a dabbling office manager and this is the only shop in town where I can find books on the matter. Books about building conference rooms, organizing general office systems and office comfort + productivity. read more

Yelpers, thanks for pointing me to this treasure trove! I felt like a small child winding through the towering shelves of magical books. Just when I found my way to the international cities section (increase in heart rate), I noticed the DOWNSTAIRS! I am spending my lunch break today in the farthest hidden back corner. Our home office has an architectural theme and just found the jackpot for making the look. read more

I was dragged here by my landscape architect husband and was prepared to be bored (I love books, just not into the whole design thing). Luckily for me, they also had a huge selection of "Life in Other Countries" type books, so I could sit and thumb through "To Live In France" and be mesmerized and plan our next vacation while he got his "Books about Chair Design" Corbusier (sp?) fix. Great bookstore, even if you're not into architecture. read more

Nine years ago, I moved away from San Francisco. One of the things I miss most is William Stout Architectural Books. My favorite bookstore in the Bay Area, and any place I've since lived. I do appreciate the Architectural section on the store's main floor, but truly I visit William Stout for the treasures that live in it's basement. Downstairs you'll find all the store's Art, Design, and Photography books. A fan of these types of books can easily lose days here, if they're not careful. I try to visit this store whenever I return to the city. A perfect day is spent choosing a book, then wandering up to North Beach for a bite, and finally it's Cafe Greco for espresso. read more

This amazing shop has been well known for a while for their vast array of publications and books on all things design. But Mr. Stout came to my attention a number years ago when small book businesses were beginning to feel the heat from Amazon.com on their profits. Let's say he didn't take it sitting down. In fact he got downright pissed that people would come to his store, suss out books, then leave to order it online. He was very public and vocal in his displeasure of those who used his book store and did not support him as a local business. Who could blame the guy? Well, it seems that Mr. Stout has nothing to worry about these days. Most of the items he carries are from wildly difficult to access publishing companies, there are a number of rare books, AND above all he has a loyal following. Seems like there will be many more years of success for this jewel of a book store. read more

Simply shocking. Here right now. Two sales lady. One is swearing left and right and they're engrossed in some private drama. Looking at the inventory. Good selection. Shocking prices. New prices for second hand books such as a second hand copy of Edwardian Country Life. I'm paying a premium to employ these two nuts? I don't think so. read more

Book store perfect for going to to look at architecture/design books, write down the names of them, and then buy them on amazon for $30 less. read more

It's a candy store for designers + architects. The most extensive selection of architecture, design and art books you will find in the city. The tiny bookstore has books stacked from floor to ceiling. Don't bother looking in Borders or Stacey's, William Stout has got it all. read more

I don't venture out into the financial district very often, but when I do I make sure to pay a visit to this store. I wouldn't recommend going in if you have to be somewhere shortly afterwards, because you will find yourself immersed in the books for several hours. Even though the name sounds like it would be a snore, there are books on every aspect of design here. architectural design, graphic design, fashion design, landscape design, etc. You're guaranteed to find something that interests you. Plenty of books with pretty pictures for those of you less word inclined. Who doesn't like pretty pictures? read more