The Last Bookstore

Housed inside a grand, column-filled bank building on Spring Street, The Last Bookstore is a massive, two-story space dedicated to new and used books, vinyl records, and art. The ground floor feels like a classic bookstore on a huge scale, with high vaulted ceilings and shelves stretching out in every direction. A former bank vault has been repurposed to hold the crime and mystery section, one of the first signs that the store uses its historic setting in creative ways. The sheer volume is immense – it’s California’s largest independent bookstore, with over half a million items in its inventory. A staircase leads up to the mezzanine, known as the Labyrinth, which is where the experience shifts from a shop to something more exploratory. This upper level is a maze-like collection of themed rooms and art installations built entirely from books. You can walk through the famous book tunnel, see a wave of paperbacks cresting overhead, and find a circular window made from stacked novels. One room has its books organized entirely by color, creating a rainbow effect on the shelves. Woven into this labyrinth is the Spring Arts Collective, a series of small, open studios where local artists work and sell their pieces. You can wander from a book display directly into a gallery space. The whole upstairs is a popular spot for photography, with people navigating the winding paths to see the different sculptures. There’s also a small coffee bar on this level, offering a place to pause before heading back into the maze.