Century Books

Wonderfully curated bookstore and lovely owners! I’ve found exceptional books here that I can’t find anywhere else. The art and ambience make the store even more perfect!

My friends and I stumbled upon this hidden treasure and I love love love it! We met Judith and she is such a sweet person with amazing stories! From the moment we walked in and when we left, Judith treated us like long lost friends. Century Bookshop has a beautiful selection of gently used books to collectibles. I bought three cookbooks because one can never have enough cookbooks. The best part about buying books here is that Judith offered to cover the book jacket in Mylar hitch is what libraries use to protect the books they lend. Along with the impeccable customer service, this little bookshop offers a tiny Albert Einstein nook and an art gallery in the loft upstairs. The prices are fair and the collection is excellent, the best part about this bookshop is that it’s atmosphere reminds me of a dream I once had about a magical bookshop so I had a hard time leaving. Lastly, the bookshop offers free jazz concerts and lectures so I am ready to go back and spend a few hours getting lost in a book.

I’ve tried 3 times to check this store out… Each and every time they have not been open at the posted hours.
The first time, it was after 1pm, and a handwritten note in the window said they be open @ 3pm.
Yesterday and today we’re similar, I arrived after their post hours say they should be open, only to find a handwritten note that they would be open 1 – 2 hours later.
I’d imagine the books inside to be great and the staff a pleasure, but this one point seems to be utter mismanagement to me.
Other bookstores in the area: Book Alley (on Colorado) and The Battery (on Mission in South Pas) have great staffs, selection and consistent hours, you would be better off trying either of them first.

Amazing bookstore, owners would go the extra mile to help you find what you need. Prices are great too! Highly recommended

Lovely bookstore with fantastic carefully-​handpicked selection of books in a variety of subjects. Judith (the owner) was super attentive and polite, offering me water and cushions in case I wanted to sit on the floor and read. They also have a mini Einstein museum in the back of the store. Lovely place that I hope to visit again soon.

A True Hidden Gem in Pasadena! One of my favorite bookstores! They often have a wonderful selection of unique books that I can’t find at other bookstores. The wonderful owners will go out of their way to make you feel very comfortable and help you locate a book even if it is not in their store! They have an art gallery on the second floor and events! Check them out and enjoy!

Thank goodness there are still some old-​school style bookstores left!
This place is wonderful! A little treasure trove of books, with some art (they have openings in the little gallery space), and knowledgable owners. I love to go here to buy gifts and I just got a great cookbook the other day for a Christmas present for mom. She’ll love it.
If you love books and bookstores, you must go check this place out.

Happened across this store a couple of years ago when I moved to Pasadena. This bookstore is not typical by any means. The owners, Judith and Steve, are as incredibly rare and contain just as much history, love, poetry, and life as the books that line their walls (and everywhere else). This store is less of a store and more of a haven for anyone who loves books or longs to transport themselves to a timeless and unforgettable place.
When you walk in you will always be greeted by one, if not both owners. Judith may approach and offer you water and if you politely decline she will ask if you are sure or if there is anything else she can offer you or help you with. She is a humble, delightful woman and I am certain the success of this store is attributed to the loyal customers who love this husband and wife team. Though I don’t know how they make a penny because they are so quick to offer you a discount on already great prices. They don’t have a tip or donation jar but you’ll want to donate something and you should.
They have incredible finds and continue to restock their inventory with rare classics and often times new fiction. If you don’t find what you are looking for they just might have it in storage, so ask. Live music is played on Saturday evenings and they usually have wine and cheese.
If you visit this place you’ll never forget it nor will you forget Judith or Steve.

Walk into this book store and you will immediately feel as if you are in Paris, on one of the back streets, lost and trying to find a warm place to rest. There are wonderful piles upon piles with the most knowledgeable and personable shop keepers ever — Judith and Stephen. They often have a show going on upstairs in their gallery space, and when you have exhausted yourself looking through the magnificent collections of almost anything you can think of, don’t be shy about going up there. Finally, make sure you interact with either Judith or Stephen. They are so fantastico in finding whatever it is you need — I have completed two collections through their hard work. I often drive up to Ventura to the wonderful bookstore up there, and yet, this one, across town (pretty much the same drive in traffic) is probably more delightful for the serious reader and lifelong student. I can’t recommend it enough. If you are a serious collector, a serious reader, a lover of books, you will fall in love with this book store as quickly as I did. You will return and I guarantee my review will match your experience. If you are just looking for something that’s on Oprah’s list, don’t invade the magical space these two people have created and order it from Amazon. I think the other die hard Century Book store fans will agree.

So happy to see this bookstore. The little book store is something that we need to cherish and preserve. I love perusing old books. I love the smell in these old book stores.

This place is such a gem. Century Books is tucked between a variety of boutiques and businesses. Once you walk in, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of things inside, but it is somewhat organized. Although, I think the best things about used book stores is just wandering around and finding little surprises in the nooks and crannies (not surprises like spiders or cockroaches, which this place had none of).
There was some music playing from the front desk, where we met this lady who is probably/​literally the nicest person I’ve met in the entirety of my life. She took us on a small tour of the shop, and brought us upstairs and showed us the art that was displayed. I was incredibly charmed by her and her love for what she does. She told us the background of her store, and how it came to be, and she had a fun accent too!
In the end, my friend and I purchased a couple books for ourselves, and I purchased two prints of some beautiful paintings, which the woman wrapped and tied up for me which I thought was so sweet.
Everything is well priced and also your life will change when you meet this woman. Please visit this place and buy and support their store.

I finally got the last two Harry Potter books that I need to complete my collection. I got them for $ 15 for a first edition Sorcerer Stone and a Prisoner of Azkaban for $ 12.95.
Small and a bit cramped but had plenty of books of various topics, I had looked around in the art history section but my main goal was to find the last two Harry Potter books I needed to finish my collection. They also had books in the second floor which also had their discounted books area.
It took a while to look for them since they had several spots scattered around the place of different Harry Potter books but I had those already. I found the last two near the register since they’re early prints and were in great quality.
The lady and her husband was pretty nice. She gave me a bottle of water and was willing to answer some questions I had. The lady also gave my books dustcovers for free since I was talking to her about how my old collection was water damaged. We also had a conversation about how to distinguish early prints since I was confused about the differences and I had bought a first edition, 11^th printing of the first Harry Potter which is hard to find in excellent condition. It also explained why I couldn’t find any of the earlier books in great condition since they were printed in a smaller amount than the later books. She also gave me a discount since one of the books was priced higher than she thought and some of the pages were folded. She also told me that she had a first print, first edition of the Sorcerer Stone but had sold it though she wanted to keep it, she also collected various editions from other countries as well.
They take card and have street parking.

I went to a great art show with friends at Century Books. I enjoyed browsing the books afterward and found three great books. The service was also great.

Judith and Steve are hospitable, personable and just absolutely accommodating. I walked into this book store to kill time and found myself just captivated by how passionate the couple is about helping fellow booker lovers.
The experience I had was an pleasant one and I will most definitely frequent this place.

Talk about great customer service, the husband and wife duo really go out of their way to help you find what you are looking for, and if they don’t have it, they’ll refer you to another book store. Who does that? Only people that are passionate about books and the people who avidly read them.
I went there looking for one book, but I ended up leaving with three, that’s they type of quality they have shelved there, so you won’t be disappointed. It’s a small place, but it has character and charm. There’s an upstairs with a small gallery, and when I was there, there was a dude playing the classical guitar and was absolutely killing it! So they have live music going on there sometimes, and small speaking forums.
I also dig how they close at 11:30 on Saturdays, that way I can really take my time and gradually ransack the place to find something interesting.
They have a dedicated customer in me without a doubt.

This is the epitome of a mom and pop book store. The couple that runs the store go above and beyond the normal customer service expectations to find the book you are looking for. They even went so far as to recommend other bookstores that might carry the book and look it up on Amazon. You can tell these are people passionate about books and providing excellent service. Five stars all the way !

Came in the day before my birthday, immediately on walking in the door Judith greeted me happy birthday and knew my name too. Mind you, she had only met me once before, and it must have been two or three months since then. It really shows the extra care and customer service this business has.
Also, for my birthday, I received a book I had been wanting a very long time. It is a very nice one and it was compliments of Judith & Steve. I have never been treated this good in a bookstore. Don’t get me wrong, I love my other book shops and the people there are wonderful friends as well, but you must have a look at Century Books if you haven’t already.
All of the great classics can be spotted, Homer, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Goethe. You also have a great science and engineering section with Ray Kurzweil, Stephen Hawkins, Feynman, etc. Intellectuals, this is your spot.
Right now they are having a huge sale. Great titles for as low as $ 2 to $ 4 that will enhance your mind and library collection.

Not much else you could ask for from a bookstore.
I walked in and the owner gave me a great little tour of the place. He was extremely nice and seemed like a genuinely good person.
The place is small, but packs a lot of good books and genres. There’s a sitting area upstairs to read as well. It’s a very quiet store, which is perfect to preview books at your leisure.
Amazing prices on top of it all! Paid like $ 3-​$ 5 per book! You don’t really need to go anywhere! This place definitely deserves your support!

Do you remember when bookstores were lively and filled with books, art, music and interesting people? That still happens here at Century Books in Pasadena. Stop by on one of their Jazz Saturday nights. Pick up some books and enjoy.

Last time I was in the shop, I mentioned to Judith that I was looking for a copy of Robert Heinlein’s «The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.» Judith looked through her collection but didn’t have one for me, so she said she’d keep a lookout for the book and let me know. A couple of months later I got an email from her letting me know that she found a copy! I was so elated!
There need to be more places like Century Books and more storeowners like Steve and Judith in this world!