Vroman's Bookstore

Vroman's Bookstore is a Southern California institution, the oldest and largest independent bookstore in the region, serving Pasadena readers continuously since 1894. The sprawling Colorado Boulevard location occupies two floors of prime Old Town real estate, with sections so deep and comprehensive that regular customers still discover new alcoves after decades of visits. The science and technology section benefits from Pasadena's extraordinary concentration of research institutions, including Caltech and JPL, and regularly features titles by local scientists. The children's department is legendary, occupying its own wing with reading areas, puppet theaters, and a story-time space that hosts events nearly every day. Vroman's events calendar is one of the most ambitious in the country, drawing Nobel laureates, bestselling novelists, and debut authors to the store's spacious events area. The in-store cafe and extensive gift and stationery section make Vroman's a complete destination, and the store's commitment to community giving through its foundation has cemented its place in Pasadena's civic life.