Bart's Books of Ojai
DETAILS:
Location: 302 W Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023
Hours of Operation: Daily - 9:30AM to Sunset (approximately 7PM)
Parking: Free street parking nearby. Please observe posted street signs.
Cost: Only if you buy a book. Prices vary.
Time Commitment: 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Miscellaneous:
Only service dogs allowed.
During quarantine measures due to COVID19, face masks required for entry.
Regular events are hosted at the bookstore (currently dependent on COVID19 restrictions). Please see their website (under “resources” below) for schedule and details.
Just 90 minutes north of Los Angeles resides the magical town of Ojai, California. Situated in a pristine valley surrounded by forests and mountains, this small oasis is complete with wine vineyards, miles of undisturbed country for every outdoor activity, and a downtown strip pulled straight from a Norman Rockwell painting. Seemingly frozen in time, the community takes pride in its harmonious blend of culture and nature. The people of Ojai take health and local agriculture just as seriously as their art, music and spirituality. Some would call this a hippie lifestyle, but I just call it good living.
Bart’s Books is one of the many reasons that makes Ojai a must visit. Self-proclaimed as the largest independent outdoor bookstore in the country, the idea first came to Richard “Bart” Bartinsdale in the 60s when his personal collection of books literally out-grew his home. This prompted Bartinsdale to build a series of bookshelves along the sidewalk for the public to peruse at their leisure. If a title caught anyone’s eye, all they needed to do was leave a donation in the coffee can that Bartinsdale left aside in lieu of a formal purchasing system. This started the tradition of selling books on the honor system, and is still practiced today for all the books located on the outside shelves! A true testament to the community of Ojai, the honor system has never been betrayed.
When you step “inside” you’ll be greeted by a series of outdoor bookshelves that carry anywhere from 100,000 -150,000 books on any given day. It’s hard to say what you might find at Bart’s since 70-80% of the books come from the public, many of them provided through the store’s trade credit system. Some are new, many are used, and a few on the shelves are absolutely rare (like a signed copy of a Sandy Koufax autobiography). All you have to do is look. I’m sure you’re wondering; what happens when it rains?! Whether by design or coincidence (or a combination of both), the vast majority of books are protected from the elements by the bookshelves, eaves, and limited number of awnings. No additional protection is used. If anything, they lose more books to sun exposure than rain. It all makes for an idyllic atmosphere, but don’t just take my word for it, come see the charm of Bart’s Books for yourself!
RESOURCES:
Bart’s Books website
