Living in a culture bombarded with ever-evolving technology, it’s pretty sad how people prefer reading from their Kindle or Nook instead of actual books. Thankfully, Long Beach offers independent stores that sell used and new print books, one of them being the lovely Gatsby Books. Tucked away in a humble strip mall on Bellflower Blvd. and Spring Street, Gatsby Books is pretty easy to miss. Having such quick eyes, my friend spotted the store while I idiotically looked at my phone’s Google Maps to check where we were. My friend and I immediately felt welcomed when who I assumed was the owner greeted us with a warm “hello” when we walked into the store. Being big-time cat lovers, we first petted Ruby, the store’s adorable gray and white cat, before browsing around. It wasn’t every day I found a sweet, purring cat laying around in a store, stealing the hearts of customers. Ruby definitely stole mine.
Prior to my first visit, I heard so many great things about Gatsby Books, including its hosting of poetry and fiction readings and book signings from newly-published independent authors. It also has a 4.5 star rating on Yelp. I expected the store to be large, allowing plenty of space for seating, but it was smaller and much more intimate than I thought it would be. I wondered, how would a large crowd fit inside? But nonetheless, Gatsby Books is the cutest bookstore I’ve ever seen. Not to mention its wide selection of books! As we browsed around, we found everything from classic literature, to entertaining “how-to” books, to children’s picture books I remembered reading in elementary school. It even sold J.K. Rowling’s non-"Harry Potter" novel, "The Cuckoo’s Calling." Unlike chain bookstores like Barnes and Noble, most of the books wouldn’t put a hole in your wallet. They ranged from around $4 to $18, depending if they were used books, new, or hardcovers. Surprisingly, many of the used books were in good and even “like new” condition, although I found one with overly critical annotations on the margins. No biggie, though. With a lot of us complaining about print books’ unreasonably high prices, Gatsby Books will prove us wrong.
Great book for an affordable price. What could be better?
Each book was neatly stacked by genre, and in alphabetical order, and I also loved how some books fell under a special category, like “Beach Reads.” It would be easy for those who dislike order. For its size, the store holds many shelves, all containing piles and piles of books I wish I had enough time to read in my busy school life. The shelves that stood against the wall contained a quiet, comfy corner—basically the perfect place to read. What really drew me into the store was its fair selection of books by John Fante, Charles Bukowski, and Amy Tan, just a few of the many authors I love. I gaped as soon as I spotted their books, since not many bookstores I’ve been in had them in stock. For once, I found novels that suit my taste! Pulling a book off of the shelf, music played in the store, yet it was still quiet enough for me to read. I immersed myself into Bukowski’s poems while petting the sleeping Ruby here and there. I even found books that I never had the chance to read, like Ralph Ellison’s "Invisible Man." There isn’t a better way to relax and de-stress from all the writing assignments than this. I could finally spare some time reading the books I want to read, not the books my professors assign.
By the time I finished reading and browsing around the literature section, my friend and I realized there was free coffee and water in a table beside the Fiction section. To top it off, the owner had placed legal pad-imprinted napkins on the side, and it looked pretty unique and awesome. Gatsby Books is not only the perfect place to relax, but the perfect place to cool off as well. No one should sulk around the scorching 90 degree weather outside. Gatsby Books also attracts a lot of locals, as many customers who went in after my friend and me had a personal conversation with the owner. In addition to selling print books, Gatsby Books seems to be a popular spot for buying them back; the store was already fully stocked when a customer wanted to sell back one of his books.
Having spent a little more than hour there, my friend decided to cancel our plans of going to the gym. We loved being in Gatsby Books so much, and totally would come back. Luckily, we went in there without a hoard of teenagers and screaming kids crowding around and making a mess. The reading and book-signings it hosts sounds super exciting, so I will make plans of attending one soon. I absolutely recommend this store for bibliophiles, college students, or really anybody. Ditch your nearest Barnes and Noble and come here. Support local businesses!
According to the Gatsby Books website, some upcoming events include:
Open Mic and Book Launch Party from poet Robert Hoffman on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 to 8:30 p.m.
A Reading and Book Signing of "Gray Gaurdians" by Kathy Porter on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Address:
5535 East Spring Street, Long Beach, CA 90808
