Independent bookstores are the backbone of the literary community. While it may seem more convenient to shop online or from large corporations such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble, supporting your local bookstore is a far more valuable experience. Shopping from small businesses has its many advantages, but bookstores in particular are special. They have a certain magic to them that can be found nowhere else. Ventura, Calif. is home to a small community of independent bookstores, each unique but all committed to preserving a passion for literature among our town.
Timbre Books:
Located in the heart of Midtown Ventura, Timbre Books is one of the most popular bookstores in the county. Featuring an extensive collection of Fiction, Non-fiction, Memoirs, Classics and so much more, they sell anything and everything. Per their “About Us” website page, Timbre is committed “to welcoming all people, advocating for the power of the written word and preserving the magic of books.” The owners, Megan and Kyle Murai, were inspired to open the storefront after “witness[ing] first-hand how each independent bookstore is shaped by the community and culture that surrounds it.”
Through wooden shelves, green accents and records lining their bar-style register, the atmosphere of Timbre is unmatched. The store was initially located just next door, where Plant Shop 805 now resides, though they moved into the former “A Beautiful Day” space. This allowed them to expand their store, adding a children’s section and a seating space with chairs and tables, illuminated by natural light and brick accents. This section also hosts their happenings such as book clubs– ranging from poetry to romance– and various author signings.
Bookseller recommendations (per their current recommendations shelf): “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong, “Yellowface” by R. F. Kuang, “The Guest List” by Lucy Foley, “Atalanta” by Jennifer Saint and “Liberation Day” by George Saunders
Calico Cat Bookshop:
Opened in 1975, Calico Cat Bookshop remains one of Downtown Ventura’s iconic and longstanding shops. With classic green scaffolding on the outside, the charm of Calico Cat is enough to draw in any passerby. From their website, Calico Cat has “a long tradition of quality used and rare books. Everything from paperbacks to read at the beach to collectible, signed, first editions,” which is obvious with one step into the store.
Stacks of books line walls and prop up shelves, as a few chairs sit around the store. Though a small storefront, every inch is covered with books of any genre, author or mood. Calico Cat also holds many Vetura-specific items, such as postcards, travel books and posters. These items make the store welcoming, perfect for any local or tourist. Though the store is simply a site to see, they are also a part of the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA), which allows readers anywhere to support their shop.
Smitten Bookstore:
Smitten, also located downtown, is the newest addition to Ventura’s independent bookstores. Opened in Feb. 2024, Smitten is a bookstore dedicated to romance and women’s literature, but with a broad expanse of genres, from fantasy to contemporary fiction, the shop has a book for anyone. Mae Tingstron, the owner of Smitten, shared that the shop is looking to expand the variety of genres sold even further, such as horror, mystery and children’s books. Various trinkets, artwork and gifts that coincide with the store’s “romance” aesthetic are also for sale among the books on display.
Smitten holds a multitude of special events, including genre-specific book clubs, writing workshops and book swaps. With its ideal location and thematic decor, the shop is a charming yet unique addition to the local bookstores around town. The idea of a bookstore dedicated to selling romance and women’s literature is clever and original, and while it has only been open for a year, Smitten has truly made its mark upon the literary community of Ventura.
Bookseller recommendations: “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Mass, “This Woven Kingdom” by Tahereh Mafi, “Blood and Ash” by Jennifer L. Armentrout, “The Seven Year Slip” by Ashley Poston, and anything from Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez.
Abednego Book Shoppe:
Abednego Book Shoppe is one of the oldest bookstores in Ventura, opened over twenty years ago and sister store to the Bank of Books, which closed in 2022. Abednego is home to over 150,000 books, new and used, from a variety of genres, including rare and out of print editions. The shop is the largest Book Trade Center in the Tri-Counties, according to their website. Their trade credit program allows readers to bring in their unwanted books, which will be estimated for a value that can be applied for half off any used book in the store.
With shelves covering each wall and stacks of books piled around the shop, it is easy to get lost searching for your next read. With a diverse range of genres, and books from all different time periods, Abednego is the perfect place to stumble upon a hidden gem of a book. Located in Midtown and easily identified by its signature green awning, Abednego is cemented in Ventura’s history of independent bookstores.
