More Central Valley Bookstores
Petunia’s Place, the Book Exchange, Hart’s Haven, and 5 more independent bookstores that keep the Central Valley’s literary lovers happy.
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BEERS BOOKS
Founded in 1936, Beers Books has passed through four generations of ownership and continues to flourish in the digital age. The store is open daily for folks who want an in-person experience and love used books; it partners with Bookshop.org to bring new books and special orders to its online shoppers. Sacramento
A BOOK BARN
Located in the center of Old Town Clovis, one of the San Joaquin Valley’s largest used booksellers looks like a cross between a Wild West emporium and saloon. A Book Barn houses around 100,000 to 125,000 books in-store and between 1 million and 1.5 million in a warehouse for online sales. Clovis
THE BOOK CELLAR
Books are a “magical escape,” says Debbie Swindler, who founded this tiny shop. The entrance is adorned with opening lines from the Harry Potter series—next to a wooden portal into the children’s section. For adults: fiction meticulously arranged by genre. Lincoln
THE BOOK EXCHANGE
Swap old loves for new ones at the Book Exchange. The shop offers generous store credit for used books and has amassed a trove of general-interest titles as well as romance novels, children’s books, and esoteric collections like Stargate and Ellora’s Cave erotica. Manteca
THE BOOKSTORE
The Instagram post captioned “Another stunning find! A signed Dune? Whaaat!!?” captures the vibe of this college-town oasis. Events like Valentine’s Day poetry-on-demand reflect the perspective of co-owners Muir Hughes and husband Josh Mills: bookstores are essential to a strong community. Chico
HART’S HAVEN
Hart’s Haven, based in the soul of Fresno—the Tower District—is a longtime supporter of and host to Fresno’s LitHop and Rogue festivals. The store includes a stage where poetry heavy hitters like Juan Felipe Herrera and Joseph Rios have performed their work. Fresno
PETUNIA’S PLACE
The most thoughtful books and gifts for kids from all backgrounds can be bought at Petunia’s Place, a delicately curated children’s and YA retailer. Owner Jean Fennacy, an educator, is a lifelong advocate for children’s literacy. Fresno
WILD SISTERS BOOK CO.
Drop by this lovely South Sac shop with your little ones, who are encouraged to write a letter to the bookstore fairy, or leave them at home and indulge your own literary needs at one of Wild Sisters’ recurring Boozy Book Fairs, hosted at local taprooms. Sisters Claire Bone and Noelle Baganz’s bookstore also offers story time, book clubs, and store credit for secondhand titles.
Sara Borjas is a Xicanx pocha and a Fresno poet. Her debut collection of poetry, Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff was published by Noemi Press in 2019. Sara was named one of Poets & Writers 2019 Debut Poets, is a 2017 CantoMundo Fellow, and the recipient of the 2014 Blue Mesa Poetry Prize. Her work can be found in Ploughshares, the Rumpus, Poem-a-Day by The Academy of American Poets, and the Offing, amongst others. She teaches at UC Riverside, lives in Los Angeles, and stays rooted in Fresno. Find her @saraborhaz or at www.saraborjas.com.
Jane Ciabattari, a columnist for Lit Hub, is the author of the short story collection Stealing the Fire.
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