City Lights Booksellers & Publishers

Category: Book store

Address: 261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Phone: +14153628193

Opening hours

Sunday: 11AM–9PM

Monday: 11AM–8PM

Tuesday: 11AM–8PM

Wednesday: 11AM–8PM

Thursday: 11AM–8PM

Friday: 11AM–9PM

Saturday: 11AM–9PM

Reviews

sandrine lussier (DiineLussier)

Jun 11, 2022

It’s a nice book store with plenty of choices. They are well categorized. Would recommend to check it out if you are a book lover !

Mary Nower

May 5, 2022

Fabulous bookshop. Amazing selection, entire floor dedicated to poetry. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable and happy for you to browse and pick things up. Great selection of books published by their own publisher which are prominently displayed and easy to find. Strict on masks (definitely a good thing).

Lau R

Jan 10, 2022

What a wonderful tribute to beat poets, Chicanx authors, and a way to give visibility to new and minority authors. I am in love with this bookstore, next to Kerouac’s alley. It is a Magical place, a lovely place a hard place, and everything wonderful if you love books, diversity and good poetry❤️

Dyanna Volek

Oct 5, 2021

A literary landmark in the City. If you are a book lover, you must make the pilgrimage to North Beach and visit this gem. Three stories and hundreds of categories, you could get lost for hours. I especially appreciate the Staff Picks and have found some remarkable books I would never have crossed paths with.

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Questions & Answers

Are there near by cafes?

Laurel McAfee | Aug 28, 2020
Tonya Colombo | Aug 28, 2020

Yes. This is a wonderfully interesting area with numerous cafes nearby.

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Hello. Do you sell the DSM V?

S R | Aug 29, 2019
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 29, 2019

No, we don't. Thanks for asking.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A COPY OF GREEN FLAG, PEOPLES PARK POETERY?

J Anderson | Aug 29, 2019
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 29, 2019

Hi there! Give the bookstore a call at 415-362-8193 - that's the best way.

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How long has this company been in business?

Barbara G. Harris | Aug 29, 2018
Boris Gamazaychikov | Aug 29, 2018

Founded in 1953 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

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Do you have a copy of wondrous strange?

Pratham Varshney | Jun 29, 2022
愛 & 信仰 | Jun 29, 2022

No I do not have a copy of the wondrous strange sorry about that but if you can Google it hope this help you out have a nice days

Is there any free parking place near the store?

차지수 | May 30, 2022
Shannon Jimenez | May 30, 2022

I found this on their website: Street parking at meters or on residential neighborhood blocks (2 hour limit, enforced regularly). Public garages located nearby at Portsmouth Square Garage, 733 Kearny St. (between Washington and Clay) and North Beach Garage, 735 Vallejo St. (between Stockton and Powell).

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Do you have the book "A Deeper Beauty" by Bill Cook, an Adelaide artist, It is a coffee table art book, 278 pages and is beautifully designed. It sells for $89 in Australia. Published by Wakefield Press. We have contacts in USA who want a copy.

BillMary Cook | May 30, 2022
Me | May 30, 2022

It isn't there last time I checked

Do you need proof of vaccination?

Violeta Christopher | Mar 31, 2022
Shane Clark | Mar 31, 2022

No, but masks were required & only a certain amount of people can be in the store.

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Do they sell graphic novels and/or manga?

Alex Phillips | Nov 1, 2021
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Nov 1, 2021

We do! Like all our sections, it's selective but we have a large graphic novels section.

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Hello, do you have literature in Spanish?

Project Jks | Aug 28, 2021
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 28, 2021

We do, but only a small amount.

Do you sell manga?

Tzch | Aug 28, 2021
Julia Gutierrez | Mar 31, 2022

Yes

Do you guys carry authors such as Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs

Samuel Madsen | Aug 28, 2020
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 28, 2020

Yes, of course!

Do they sell DVDs of Classic Films ?

Caroline Jones | Aug 28, 2020
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 28, 2020

We don't. The suggestion about going to North Beach library to borrow movies is a good one.

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Do you sell rainbow rowell’s wayward son book?

Seo Hyun Chung | Aug 28, 2020
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 28, 2020

Always best to call our front desk at 415-362-8193 for questions like this.

Do you have events with open poetry readings?

MIndy Kronenberg | Aug 28, 2020
Julia Gutierrez | Mar 31, 2022

They are doing virtual events now

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Have you accepted my questions? Eager to know. Love...

Sancharini Bhattacharya | Aug 29, 2019
Ebrahman Ebrahman | Aug 29, 2019

This is Google. Not city light.

To do or not to do is an eternal quarry universally. Are we all deranged in this deranged cosmos ? That's an unanswered question for all.

Sancharini Bhattacharya | Aug 29, 2019
Miles Sergeant | Aug 29, 2019

By all means do. How can something never ranged be deranged?

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Will you Publish the literature came out of my passion, experience of a human rights activist. Done masters in English Literature years back.My writing in Bengali are also not too bad! Do you translate? Sorry to push you with so many questions. Love

Sancharini Bhattacharya | Aug 29, 2019
Ebrahman Ebrahman | Aug 29, 2019

Not likely. Find an editor who will read your work first.

Dear! I am Rini Bhattacharya; a writer based in Kolkata, India. I know about your movement,your 'Bit Poets' endeavor.Am deeply impressed. May I send some of my write up to you? English is my third language. Still, write with passion. Please, reply

Sancharini Bhattacharya | Aug 29, 2019
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 28, 2020

Go to our submissions guidelines for more info on this: http://www.citylights.com/publishing/?fa=publishing_manuscripts

are the bookstore open on Easter?

Abduraafi Andrian | Aug 29, 2019
Mary Ellen Kearney | Aug 29, 2019

Yes the book stores open on Easter I'm probably every other holiday except for Jack Kerouac birthday! Just kidding

Who owned city lights in early 80's

Nancy Sawyer | Aug 29, 2019
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 29, 2019

Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Nancy J. Peters

Book Price I'm Still Me by Jo Jo Moyes

Listo Guevara | Aug 29, 2018
alessandro martini | Aug 29, 2018

Unfortunately that I don'tknow.

Are they open on the 4th of july?

Marcela Khury | Aug 29, 2018
Tracie Donaldson | Aug 29, 2018

I would check the website

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Do they have hair style magazinrs?

Terry Lord | Aug 29, 2018
Robin Jankowski | Aug 29, 2018

Doubtful

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Are they open in Thanksgiving?

sally king | Aug 29, 2018
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 28, 2020

No, we're not open on Thanksgiving! We are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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cheap used books?

Bill Siemering | Aug 29, 2018
Robert Glass | Aug 29, 2018

Good books, not used.

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Open every day?

David Sturgeon | Aug 29, 2018
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Aug 29, 2019

Yes every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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Do they have Native Son by Richard Wright

Michael Sangervasi | Aug 29, 2017
Andrew Woodrow-Butcher | Aug 29, 2017

This is not the venue for such a question. Their inventory changes constantly. Call if you need them to set something aside for you to pick up in the next day or so.

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