This is truly one of a kind. You have to check it out for yourself!
Inside a grand historic bank building in downtown Los Angeles, California, this bookstore instantly makes you lose track of time. Towering shelves, winding corridors, and imaginative book installations turn this multilevel space into part bookstore, part art gallery, and entirely unforgettable.
As California’s largest new and used book and record store, it has captivated thousands of reviewers, earning a devoted following of locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re a lifelong reader, a collector, or just someone drawn to extraordinary spaces, every corner holds a discovery waiting to surprise you. Find out more!
There is everything to find in this bookstore!
The Historic Bank Building That Houses It All
Some buildings carry stories in their walls, and the home of The Last Bookstore is no exception.
This California landmark sits inside a stunning former bank building in the Historic Bank District of downtown LA.
The soaring ceilings, ornate columns, and wide-open floor plan give the space a cathedral-like feeling that most bookstores could only dream of.
When founder Josh Spencer moved the store here in 2011, the building was transformed into something far beyond a typical retail space.
The original bank architecture was preserved beautifully, lending an old-world grandeur that blends perfectly with the creative, artistic energy inside.
Even the former bank vault has been repurposed as a unique book room, making it one of the most memorable spots in the entire store.
Visitors often spend several minutes just standing at the entrance, taking it all in before even picking up a single book.
Located at 453 S Spring St, Ground Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013,
The building itself is a destination, not just a backdrop.
A Book Collection That Seems To Have No End
Walking through the ground floor of The Last Bookstore feels like stepping into a world where books truly rule everything.
The sheer volume of titles on display is staggering, with new and used books organized across a wide range of genres, from psychology and history to fiction, art, and beyond.
Prices on used books are famously fair, and many visitors have stumbled upon rare finds and unexpected titles that they never expected to discover.
The $1 book section alone has kept many shoppers happily browsing for well over an hour.
What makes the collection stand out is how thoughtfully it is curated.
Rather than feeling like a chaotic jumble of random titles, the shelves feel considered and intentional, with displays that highlight interesting reads at every turn.
There is even a section dedicated to rare and collectible books for serious enthusiasts.
California book lovers who make the trip to downtown LA consistently leave with far more titles than they originally planned to buy, which is honestly part of the charm.
The Famous Book Tunnel Upstairs
There is one spot inside The Last Bookstore that has become practically iconic on social media, and it more than lives up to the hype.
The book tunnel, located on the upper level, is a narrow passageway formed entirely from stacked books arranged into a curved arch overhead.
Walking through it feels genuinely surreal, like something out of a fantasy novel brought to life in the middle of California.
It is one of the most photographed spots in all of downtown Los Angeles, and for good reason.
The tunnel is part of the larger upstairs area known as the Labyrinth Above The Last Bookstore, a creative maze of themed rooms, art installations, and hidden corners.
Visitors are encouraged to slow down, explore, and let curiosity lead the way.
On busy weekends, the tunnel area can get crowded with people waiting to take photos, so arriving earlier in the day gives a more relaxed experience.
Even so, the energy around this installation is infectious and genuinely joyful in a way that feels rare.
Vinyl Records For The Music Lovers
Not every treasure at The Last Bookstore comes with pages.
Tucked alongside the sprawling book collection is a substantial vinyl record section that has become a favorite stop for music enthusiasts visiting downtown Los Angeles.
The selection spans a wide range of genres and eras, with both affordable everyday finds and rarer pressings that catch the eye of serious collectors.
Flipping through crates of records has a satisfying, meditative quality that feels perfectly at home in this creative California space.
Prices in the vinyl section are considered very reasonable compared to many specialty record stores, making it a genuinely good place to build or expand a collection.
One reviewer specifically called the vinyl section a must-visit for anyone looking for unique pieces at fair prices, and that sentiment echoes widely among regular visitors.
The records sit comfortably alongside the books, reinforcing the store’s identity as a celebration of physical media in all its forms.
There is something deeply satisfying about leaving with both a great read and a great record under one arm.
Art Installations And Flying Book Sculptures
Beyond the shelves and the tunnel, The Last Bookstore is genuinely alive with art.
Scattered throughout the space are creative installations that transform the act of browsing into something closer to a museum visit.
Flying book sculptures hang suspended from the ceiling, frozen mid-flight in a way that makes the whole room feel enchanted.
Themed book rooms upstairs feature carefully arranged displays that play with the visual possibilities of books as objects, not just reading material.
There are also barrels and arches constructed entirely from stacked books, each one a testament to the imagination of the people who built this place.
Local artists contribute to the atmosphere as well, with artwork displayed throughout the store that adds color, personality, and a distinctly Californian creative energy to every corner.
The result is a space where literature and visual art feel completely inseparable from each other.
Even visitors who arrive with no intention of buying anything tend to linger for far longer than expected, pulled in by one fascinating display after another.
A Maze Of Hidden Rooms
Upstairs at The Last Bookstore, the experience shifts into something wonderfully strange and exploratory.
The area known as the Labyrinth Above The Last Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: a winding, multi-room maze that rewards anyone willing to wander without a plan.
Themed book rooms branch off in unexpected directions, each one offering a different mood and a different selection of titles.
Some rooms feel cozy and tucked away, while others open up into wider gallery-like spaces filled with art and curiosity objects.
Getting genuinely turned around up here is part of the fun, and most visitors wear that confusion like a badge of honor.
The Labyrinth also houses several independent artist studios and boutique shops, adding a layer of small-business charm to the already rich atmosphere.
Discovering a tiny shop selling handmade goods or original paintings tucked between two book rooms is the kind of surprise that makes this California destination so hard to describe to someone who has never been.
Words rarely do the Labyrinth justice; it simply has to be experienced firsthand.
The Coffee Shop And Cafe Experience
A great bookstore deserves a great cup of coffee, and The Last Bookstore delivers on that front too.
Nestled on the upper level of the building, the cafe offers visitors a place to pause, recharge, and settle into a newly purchased book without having to step back outside into the busy streets of downtown Los Angeles.
Multiple reviewers have specifically praised the coffee as genuinely delicious, with one calling it absolutely worth stopping for during any visit.
The combination of a warm drink, a comfortable seat, and the ambient hum of a creative space full of book lovers is a hard one to beat.
Sitting upstairs with a coffee and a fresh find from the shelves below captures everything that makes physical bookstores feel so irreplaceable in the digital age.
The cafe also pairs naturally with the art galleries and boutique shops nearby, making the upper floor feel like its own self-contained neighborhood within the larger store.
For anyone planning a longer visit to this California treasure, budgeting time for a coffee break upstairs is a very easy recommendation to make.
Local Art Galleries And Independent Boutiques
The Last Bookstore has always been more than just a place to buy books, and the presence of local art galleries and independent boutiques throughout the space makes that abundantly clear.
Scattered across the upper Labyrinth level, these small shops sell everything from original paintings and handmade jewelry to vintage cameras, decorative stones, and antique telephones.
Each one feels like a tiny world unto itself, run by creative individuals who clearly belong in this kind of environment.
Shopping here feels personal and meaningful in a way that big-box retail simply cannot replicate.
The galleries also rotate artwork from local California artists, keeping the visual landscape of the store fresh and ever-changing.
Even on a return visit, there is a good chance something new will be hanging on the walls or sitting on a display table.
This commitment to supporting local creatives is one of the reasons The Last Bookstore has become such a beloved cultural institution in downtown Los Angeles.
It functions as a community hub as much as a commercial space, and that distinction matters deeply to the people who love it.
Practical Tips For Planning Your Visit
A little planning goes a long way when visiting The Last Bookstore, especially on weekends when the crowds can be significant.
The store opens at 11 AM every day of the week and closes at 8 PM, giving visitors a solid window of time to explore without feeling rushed.
Arriving closer to opening time on a Saturday or Sunday tends to result in a quieter, more relaxed experience before the afternoon rush sets in.
Parking in downtown Los Angeles can be tricky, so using public transit or a rideshare service is often the smarter choice for getting to Spring Street without the stress of finding a spot.
The store is free to enter, which makes it an incredibly accessible outing for anyone visiting California on a budget.
Bringing a tote bag is a practical move, since most visitors end up buying more than they expected.
The phone number for the store is +1 213-488-0599, and the website at lastbookstorela.com has current event listings and updates.
Setting aside at least two hours is the most common advice from people who have already been, and most wish they had allowed even more time.
Why This Place Feels Truly One Of A Kind
There are bookstores, and then there is The Last Bookstore.
What sets this California institution apart is not just the size of the collection or the beauty of the building, but the way it makes every single visitor feel like they have stumbled onto something rare and worth protecting.
It earns its 4.7-star rating across more than 12,000 reviews not through marketing or gimmicks, but through a genuine commitment to books, art, community, and imagination.
The space reminds people why physical bookstores still matter in an era when everything is available with a single click online.
There is something deeply human about wandering through a maze of shelves, picking up a book with an interesting cover, and deciding on a whim that it belongs in your life.
That experience cannot be replicated by an algorithm.
The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, California, is proof that the right space, built with enough love and creativity, can become something far greater than the sum of its parts.
It is not just a bookstore. It is a place worth making the trip for.