City Lights Booksellers

City Lights Booksellers is a landmark independent bookstore at 261 Columbus Avenue in North Beach, San Francisco, California, founded in 1953 by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter Martin. It was among the first all-paperback bookshops in the United States and became a gathering place for the Beat writers; City Lights Publishers, the store's imprint, issued Allen Ginsberg's Howl and Other Poems in 1956, which led to a famous obscenity trial. The store occupies three floors of a triangular building at the corner of Columbus Avenue and Broadway, beside Jack Kerouac Alley. Goods sold are books, mainly literature, poetry, political and social theory, history, art, translations, small-press titles and local interest, along with titles from City Lights Publishers, as well as tote bags, T-shirts and postcards. It differs from generic shopping in its curated, independent stock, and the staff are known for their knowledge. The proportion of authentic literary merchandise is high; the few souvenir items relate directly to the shop. Prices are standard retail prices for books, and bargaining does not apply, though used and discounted titles are sometimes available. Cards are accepted. California sales tax is added at the register, and no tourist refund exists. The atmosphere is quiet and bookish, with a poetry room upstairs, reading chairs and a changing display of staff picks, and the shop is crowded on weekends and during readings or events. There is no cafe inside, but North Beach has Italian cafes, bakeries and restaurants, including the historic Vesuvio Cafe next door, within steps. Must-visit corners include the Poetry Room on the upper floor and the shelves devoted to Beat literature. Hours are typically from about 10:00 AM into the evening, and the website lists events. The shop is easy to combine with a walk through Chinatown, Washington Square and Coit Tower, and Muni buses serve Columbus Avenue.