The paucity of bookstores on the Westside can be disheartening, but Santa Monica's Angel City Books & Records has been a sanctuary for book-buying locals since 1998. Though small and narrow, the store is easily navigable and feels more cozy than cramped. Filled with a meticulously curated selection of used books, the store's range and specificity are staggering. A trove of Beat literature is just steps from a section devoted to Santa Monica history. Turn from the long shelf of poetry and plays and find yourself faced with a superb reserve of pulp fiction paperbacks. If you're looking for signed and/or first editions, see the glass case behind the counter. Angel City sells an equally excellent, albeit occasionally pricey, selection of vinyl, and whether you're looking for tomes or tunes, amiable owner Rocco Ingala is here to help. Call and he'll check the shelves for whatever you're after. Better yet, swing by and browse as he plays records over the store speakers. You may find something you didn't know you needed. —Max Bell

218 Pier Ave., Santa Monica, 90405. (310) 399-8767, angelcitybooks.com.

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