Our Story
Brown Bag Books is an independent bookshop and reading accoutrement store that brings a hand picked, unique stock of goods to customers of all backgrounds and ages.
We hope to help instill a lifelong love of reading to our customers, for the betterment of the world. We aim to provide a nurturing and creative environment to encourage the robust exchange of ideas by hosting author readings, cultural events, book clubs, and parties. We are committed to working towards an environmentally sustainable planet by offering second hand goods, to keep worthy items out of landfills, and pass this practice down to the next generation.
The Begining
Mobile Booksellers
From Paris to NYC, we’ve always loved a good streetside bookstall. In 2004, after returning to the LA area from San Francisco, we saw a giant hole where booksellers used to be.
We missed bookstores, like the ones we had in the 80’s, (the 1980’s and 1880’s), and like the ones still found in most European cities. Using our old (trusty) Toyota pick up truck, we began as a ‘mobile bookstore’ bringing good books, physical books, to The People. Our first Pop-up gig was at Jazz -n- Java, on State Street in Redlands, California.
We’re forever grateful for the owner Sue, who gave us a chance as their in-house booksellers. We expanded into art-shows, farmers markets, and anywhere an eclectic mix of literature and great reading material were welcome and needed. Our ever-growing book collection now holds thousands of titles, all available either in person, or from our online selection.
The Future of brown bag books
Looking Forward
The books currently live at the Faktory in Running Springs, but we’ve always got something else brewing. The bookshop has grown into a vintage goods store as well, focusing on ‘home goods’ that pair nicely with books; couches, chairs, lights, and analog accoutrement.
As we’ve grown over the last eighteen years, we’ve realized the ‘mobile bookstore’ concept brings us much pleasure, but there’s always a new way to get books into the hands of readers. We love seeing people light up around books and their stories, and at the prospect of reading something new.
As we dream about an airstream full of books, or a crazy old decommissioned school bus motoring around town with ‘BOOK MOBILE’ painted on the side, we’ll be at the book fort, sorting our online orders, dusting, playing library, and drinking coffee. Let us know what your looking for, we probably have it, or something else in mind for you…
Where to Find Us
Online
If you can't make a pop-up, new books and journals are added weekly right here on our website.