The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, Calif.

The Last Bookstore located in downtown Los Angeles at 453 South Spring St., is the largest seller of new and used books in California. The Last Bookstore, with more than 22,000 square feet in its third incarnation since 2005, both buys and sells books as well as music and offers one of the largest selections of rare vinyl in the world as well.

A photo posted by Last Bookstore (@lastbookstorela) on May 7, 2016 at 6:29pm PDT

The space is so named as a tongue-in-cheek reminder that the presence of Amazon.com and a host of other online sellers as well as failed physical bookstores across the nation doesn’t need to be the way things work. Los Angeles, while offering numerous neighborhoods that can be walked, is still the land of the automobile and the need for freeway driving. While that is often the case, there are exceptions and the Last Bookstore proves this while allowing you to spend a full day walking around without backtracking.

A photo posted by Last Bookstore (@lastbookstorela) on May 5, 2016 at 7:07pm PDT

While the space, first housed in a loft when it opened over a decade ago, is massive in its present space, it just doesn’t feel like it. The labyrinth above the entrance floor often feels small. The walls are adorned with the work of local artists and lend themselves to a bohemian feel that truly belies the size of this destination bookstore. That said, depending on the particular near-nightly events, do not expect less than 50 in attendance and larger events, literary, musical, theatrical or visual arts related, are often attended by well over 500 people.

The Last Bookstore

453 S. Spring St.

Los Angeles, Calif. 90013

213 488 0599