Bel Canto Books Retro Row

A community staple and one of my favorite places on 4th street. I especially love the bookstores organization by AAPI authors and the likes. Check out their Kubo lb location also!

The best bookstore in Long Beach!! The owner does such an amazing job selecting books and hosts great book clubs. Plus the book related goodies she has are always on point and great for presents.

Stopped by while visiting Long Beach and picked up a book to read on my vacation. Cute store, with a good selection. Love the way they shelve the books by identity and genre! Always love supporting independent bookstores!

A welcome atmosphere and very well curated collection of social justice books! I highly recommend checking out this cute bookstore

Beautiful book shop with very cute Bookish merchandise. Shop owner was very welcoming with great customer service! This will be one of my go-to bookstores!!!

I have a question. Are there movie novel books for children here. Moana, lion King, sonic, toy story ,etc.. Movies that put have a book to go along with it is my child's main books.

The bookstore, inside The Hangout on 4th street, is a Long Beach gem! It is small, but with an amazing collection for adults, babies, and everyone in between! The collection is very current with a focus on BIPOC authors and social justice issues. I have mainly bought children's books here for my own kids and as gifts and I absolutely love the selection and find something new and wonderful each time I visit! The owner, Jhoanna, is lovely and happy to talk all things book and bookstore-related. I hope to participate in one of their book clubs at some point. I also recommend signing up for the newsletter!

Whether in person or virtually, Jhoanna is a marvel with her insight on books and her ability to foster community. Her books and book related gear are gorgeously displayed within the spacious and ever changing Hangout: in the times I’ve been there, I’ve seen campers and gardens and cemeteries, oh my! Shop local and know you’re supporting someone who works to highlight and showcase local talent, who isn’t afraid to dream big, and remains ever so humble.

There is a great selection of books and excellent local spot to shop for affordable gifts (candles, bags, etc.) for friends and family. I was looking for a particular book that they didn't have and was told they could order it. Wanted to buy a bag that was on display since there were no extras on the floor, but was told it's not for sale, big bummer.

It was my first time to visit Bel Canto. What a hidden gem. I wanted to buy the whole store. Sheera was helpful, knowledgeable and supportive of the store's brand. She's an excellent representative of the store and I loved the variety of curated items. Definitely returning and telling friends.

Such a great diverse collection of books. What a gem this small bookstore is. Women owned and you can definitely tell how much thought and preparation goes into this store. This place warms my heart and you feel so comfortable and safe right when you walk in.

We visited their spot @Kubo Was excited to come here and support this wonderful community spot and buy some books. There was lots of street parking on a Saturday afternoon. The place was super cute and well organized. There were some amazing gifts as well. The staff was amazing, they helped me find very specific books for a gift and was so thoughtful in the suggestions. There are so many books by black, brown and indigenous authors. Prices were fair for a small shop and it's about supporting the work.

Love Bel Canto and Jhoanna! I started coming to Bel Canto when they were located inside The Hangout. I've come to a few events they've hosted as well. I never walk out without a book.

Located in the 4th Street Retro Row of Long Beach, Bel Canto is a locally owned bookstore housed in the front room of The Hangout ("... collective of small businesses, operating inside a small business..."), closed on Mondays. It has English language books, focusing on literature giving voice or visibility to the non-majorities in our culture. My wife and I have seen their booths around various community functions in the LBC area, and they will sponsor book signings, bringing minority authors in for well-deserved publicity and recognition. It serves a great purpose in our community. All the businesses in the Hangout share the space, so they can function with staff supporting all the businesses. We specifically wanted to buy a signed copy of the book "Chasing Pacquaio, author Rod Pulido"), since we missed the book signing event. We were in luck and able to find a copy..the price was the same as what it is on Amazon. I had a chance to browse and there were quite a few books on the Korean-American experience written by first time authors. done in a fun-fiction form. This place (and its books) are the opposite of stodgey. Note the space is small (not a place to sit down and read), but there are a lot of other things to check out and there is even a nice outdoor patio space in the back. Really glad this exists in our neighborhood and will continue to frequent.

Bel Canto is a gem! So many wonderful titles, small business crafts and stationary, helpful staff, community events...what else could you ask for?! I cherish the books and gifts I get there, and have you seen their Bel Canto stamp you can press on your title page? Adorable! I look forward to my next visit; go support this fabulous small business worth supporting!

love this small book store! they used to sell their books at the hangout but since that closed down they have their own store in fourth street. parking it super easy, there's street parking everywhere. i went inside and was greeted by two ladies, they were kind and made sure me and my friend were finding everything well. they have a great selection of children's books ranging from so many cultures. they also have some stickers, notepads, and other stationary items. there's tons of natural light inside the store so it's very fresh and bright. me and my friend were there for about a food 15 minutes and had the store to ourselves just looking through all the books. they were seen by each genre and well organized. everything is priced fairly. i do hope to see this bookstore grow into an even bigger space because it's so cute and i will be coming back to choose a great read!