Book Crawl on The E Line
Los Angeles is home to many amazing bookstores, ranging from those lined with best-sellers to specialty bookstores catering to niche readers. In this Book Crawl on the E Line itinerary, I feature five places to inspire your next read or silent book club field trip.
This itinerary can be completed in one day. If you are feeling extra motivated, I have a list of additional bookstores on the same train line. All addresses link to Google Maps.
Riding the Metro
The E Line
The Metro E Line, formerly known as the Expo Line, currently connects Santa Monica to East Los Angeles with stops in Culver City, West Adams, USC, Little Tokyo, and Mariachi Plaza.
Getting your ticket
The best way to get your fare is through the TAP to Go app. Use your phone to pay for LA Metro, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, LADOT, and Culver City transit.
Ticket fee: $1.75 for one-way travel, with unlimited transfers for up to two and a half hours, and the daily rate capped at $5.
The Book Crawl on the E Line Itinerary
I selected four bookstores (+ a reader bonus) that would all be easy to check off the list by taking the train or driving. This is a mix of book stops and pit stops (eat, caffeinate, and use the loo.)
Depending on your location, stop one and stop four can be swapped for each other, as both bookstores offer evening events.
Train Stop: Farmdale Station
Stop One: Reparations Club
- Website: https://rep.club/
- Address: 3054 S Victoria Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90016
- Do they have branded book bags? Yes.
Reparations Club feels like someone invited you into their living room, which also happens to be a bookstore. There is an oversized, comfy 1970s couch across from a curated collection of records for sale. Bookshelves line the walls of the room, with additional tabletops available for perusing books. Books in the shop feature works by black authors in genres such as Afrofuturism, art, and activism. Check out their calendar for silent reading events and author talks.
(Black-owned, women-owned)
Reader Suggested Bonus stop: All Power Books—this bookstore is centered around the community and offers mutual aid.
Pit Stop: Highly Likely
- Website: https://www.itshighlylikely.com/
- Address: 4310 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 (Walkable from Reparations Club)
Highly Likely is an all-day cafe that features upgraded cafe classics during the day and turns into a wine bar at night. The menu is uniquely L.A. with Japanese breakfast bowls, a classic burger, and breakfast burritos. The chef, Kat Turner, competed in the last season of Top Chef.
There is a no-laptop policy on weekends.
(Women-owned and cheffed)
Train stop: Culver City Station
Stop Two: Arcana
- Website: https://www.arcanabooks.com/
- Address: 8675 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
- Do they have branded book bags? Yes
Arcana is a bookstore for art and rare book lovers. Its collection is full of beautiful exhibition catalogs and art books. Here you can pick up the current Met fashion exhibit catalog or a one-of-a-kind artist book. It is fun to browse the shelves, although a little intimidating.
Pit Stop: Helms Bakery
- Website: https://www.helmsbakery.la/
- Address: 3220 Helms Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Helms Bakery is a daytime cafe in a piece of history. Chef Sang Yoon, of Father’s Office fame, spent years renovating the Helms Bread Company, which was known for delivering fresh bread and baked goods to Los Angeles homes in the 1930s. Now you can get beautiful pastries, sandos, and a great cup of coffee.
It is also a great place for last-minute gifts and picnic essentials
(Asian-Owned and cheffed.)
Stop Three: Ripped Bodice
- Website: https://www.therippedbodice.com/
- Address: 3806 Main St, Culver City, CA 90232
- Do they have branded book bags? Yes
The Ripped Bodice is well-known to those who lust after romance books, and there is a genre here for everyone. When I walked by last, the window display was full of vampires, minotaurs, and fantasy of varying spice levels.
When you take this tour, be sure to check their events calendar for comedy shows, book clubs, and other upcoming events.
(Woman-owned, Queer-owned)
Stop Four: Village Well (My personal favorite)
- Website: https://shop.villagewell.com/
- Address: 9900 Culver Blvd #1b, Culver City, CA 90232
- Do they have branded book bags?
This is my favorite bookstore on the west side of Los Angeles. Not only do they have an amazing collection of books, but it also serves as a third space for the community. Newsletter subscribers are familiar with this place; I frequently mention it in my event list for silent reading events, Dungeons & Dragons sessions, open mic nights, and other events.
(Woman-owned)
Want to continue?
Take the E to the MoCA on Grand Museum Store (Grand Avenue Arts Station), The Last Bookstore (Pershing or Historic Broadway Station), or hop on the A Line to Now Serving a cookbook store in Chinatown (Chinatown Station).
Let me know if you have used the Book Crawl on the E Line.
Featured Neighborhood Guide
Culver City Guide
Culver City is a book lover’s, foodie, and second-hand shop paradise. With three out of five of the featured bookstores on Book Crawl on the E in this neighborhood, you may want to know where else you should eat, drink, and spend some time. Here is my guide to Culver City.