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Independent bookstores in San Diego

There are 42 independent bookstores in San Diego County on the Hot Tip map, counted on : 16 in Central San Diego, 5 in Coastal San Diego, 6 in North County coastal, 7 in North County inland, 5 in East County and 3 in South Bay. 15 have hours on record.

Counted from the live Hot Tip map. Listings start from OpenStreetMap and are corrected by hand.

How this list is made. Every shop tagged as a bookstore in OpenStreetMap, plus shops with no tag on file and book in the name. New, used, comics, campus and library sale rooms are all in here, because the tag does not tell them apart. Chains are left off by their corporate parent. Within an area, places named in print or on Reddit come first, then places with hours on record, then the rest by name.

Central San Diego 16

Convoy and Kearny Mesa2

South Park2

Clairemont Mesa1

College Area1

Downtown San Diego1

Linda Vista1

  • The Torrero Store

    Bookstore

Midway District1

Mira Mesa1

  • Friends of the Mira Mesa Library Book Sale Room

    Bookstore

    Mon and Tue 11:30am to 3pm and 6pm to 7:30pm; Wed and Thu 9:30am to 3pm; Fri and Sat 9:30am to 5:30pm; closed Sun

Mission Valley1

  • Rising Sun Creations

    Bookstore

Normal Heights1

North Park1

San Diego1

  • Warwick's

    Bookstore

Tierrasanta1

University Heights1

  • Buddha's Light Book Store

    Bookstore

Coastal San Diego 5

La Jolla3

Pacific Beach1

Point Loma1

North County coastal 6

Carlsbad Village2

Carmel Valley1

  • Friendly Finds Bookstore

    Bookstore

    Mon and Tue 11:30am to 8pm, Wed to Sat 9:30am to 6pm, closed Sun

Del Mar1

Encinitas1

Pacific Highlands Ranch1

  • Book Nook

    Bookstore

    12911 Pacific Place, San Diego, CA 92130

North County inland 7

San Marcos3

  • Off-Campus Books

    Bookstore

  • Palomar College Bookstore

    Bookstore

  • SU

    Bookstore

Escondido2

Poway1

  • Friends of the Poway Library Bookstore

    Bookstore

    13137 Poway Road, Poway, CA 92064

    Tue and Wed noon to 6:30pm, Thu 10am to 5:30pm, Fri to Sun 10am to 4:30pm, closed Mon

    powayfriends.org(858) 513-2862

Rancho Bernardo1

  • The Jerry Peterson Friends of the Library Bookshop

    Bookstore

    Mon and Tue 12:30pm to 5:30pm, Wed to Sat 10am to 4pm, closed Sun

East County 5

La Mesa2

Julian1

Ramona1

  • Unicorn Books & Gifts

    Bookstore

    Mon to Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat and Sun 10am to 5pm

Rancho San Diego1

  • Cuyamaca College Bookstore

    Bookstore

    900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon, CA 92019

    Mon to Thu 10am to 3pm

    (619) 660-4333

South Bay 3

Chula Vista2

San Ysidro1

  • San Ysidro Friends of the Library Book Store

    Bookstore

What the map can tell you

How many independent bookstores are there in San Diego?

Hot Tip lists 42 in San Diego County, counted on 5 October 2026: 16 in Central San Diego, 5 in Coastal San Diego, 6 in North County coastal, 7 in North County inland, 5 in East County and 3 in South Bay. The areas with the most are La Jolla (3), San Marcos (3), Convoy and Kearny Mesa (2), South Park (2) and Carlsbad Village (2). Chains are not counted.

Which bookstores in San Diego County are open on Sunday?

Of the 15 with hours on record, 9 open on Sunday. The ones that do not are Helen's Book Mark, Cuyamaca College Bookstore, Friendly Finds Bookstore, Friends of the Mira Mesa Library Book Sale Room, The Jerry Peterson Friends of the Library Bookshop and UC San Diego Bookstore.

Hours come from OpenStreetMap or from the business's own website. The rule for a chain is its owner. Anything with a national or regional corporate parent is out. A San Diego group with a few locations of its own stays. Seen a chain on this list, or a place that has closed, or one that is missing? Write to hello@hottip.club. If the place is yours, claiming it is free.

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