Bart's Books

Bart's Books is a bookstore unlike any I've seen before. There's so much history within the thousands of used books they sell (some for 50 cents!), all tucked into the nooks and crannies of this open-air bookstore. The shelves are built around an old house which sits in the middle of the store. They've maintained some of the original architecture of the house, using the ""study"" to house textbooks and the ""kitchen"" to hold cookbooks. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and one could spend hours pouring over the numerous books here. My favorite part was the sign outside the store that asks that if you'd like to buy a book that resides on the outside of the bookstore after business hours, to please drop the proper coins into the mail slot before taking it. Any place that still believes in the honor system is truly a gem! more

With so many independent book stores going out of business, Bart's Books should be considered a national treasure. Its open air layout, labrynths of shelves stacked with hard to find titles, and its cozy and comfortable sitting areas means you will likely spend several hours lost in this little gem. I wish there was something similar in LA. The only thing we have is Book Soup. Long live Bart's Books!! more

The best thing about books is that they're sustainable. They're the printed word and, short of destroying them, they'll always be around?whether the internet crashes, we lose electricity, etc. Bart's Books in Ojai celebrates this concept. I visited over the weekend and had a great experience. The honor system tradition is awesome awesome awesome. Even though the store was open, my friends and I each grabbed a book off the exterior shelves. I don't even know anything about the hardcover that I selected, I just wanted a little bit of the store's charm to come home with me. If you love books and you're in the area, you absolutely must check out Bart's. Pros: Radical outdoor bookstore, first-edition books more