I have fond memories of growing up surrounded by bookstores and hiding myself away in the shelves of them. As much as I also love online shopping and ease of delivery, I do miss bookstores, so it's such a gem to find this one in San Francisco tucked away on a busy street. It's not the typical mainstream bookstore. It's a small store, though it has three great floors, with a rustic and historical feel to it. Just walking in made me feel like I'd discover something great hidden away in this store. There's so much personality to the store. The stairs going down are creaky, the bookshelves are wooden, and if you look closely there's just a lot of little things to find from interesting posters and photos, to notes and reviews. Definitely visit.

Having met Ferlinghetti on many occasions, it was a definite honor to be shown the "upstairs office"... now don't you dare try to get up those stairs yourself- heavily guarded dispite plain appearances; if you get in good with management you got a slight chance- succeed & experience the best kept secret in Beat History. UPDATE Perhaps "they" have opened the upstairs?! Good on them, but do the research and find the historical events took place between those walls... a real treat!!!

A real bibliophile's paradise, City Lights is a lovely spot to linger as you pick out your next book. There are little signs encouraging you to read and chairs so you can do so in comfort. The store is notorious for its ties to the Beat writers but it's not just poetry and American literature you will find there; the sheer size and breadth of the catergories covered mean there is something for everyone. Most people will probably more find books in a quick browse than that they can comfortably afford - or carry! The highlighted Staff Picks are an excellent option for those of you who, like me, get overwhelmed and excited by the sheer amount of options! It's gloriously labyrinthine without feeling over-crowded and the upstairs Poetry Room is a lovely oasis in San Francisco's bustle.

After discovering this gem about five years ago this remains one of my favorite independent stores in the city.Not only is the store layout intricate and the book selections stellar but the face has some great offerings, too.I'm obsessed with their mixed greens salad and iced mocha. The last time I was in here, I was eye-stalking James Murphy from Sound system as he perused the aisles with his gorgeous wife.If you want to have some indite star sightings this is the place you want to be.

I truly love this place. This is my favorite book store in the city and I come here at least once a month. If I had a blog, I would totally blog about this place. The selection is great, the cheap books outside are fun to look through, and if you are looking for something specific, I have found the staff to be very helpful. I feel like when I see someone with a strand bag, I think they are automatically cool.