Christopher's Books

Great little bookstore. Was walking down the street when I saw and popped in. They have a great selection of books for all ages (from kids to adults) and a wide variety, but what drew my attention was these cute little sets they had on the window displays. I got one and had a blast building them with my girlfriend. And bought another one as a gift for a friend and they wrapped it for me (they’ll ask to wrap any book you get) I will definitely keep coming. And the service was great and they were very nice

Must stop by this cute neighborhood bookstore if you are in this neighborhood! Especially if you have a kid or a cute dog with you on your trip. 1. Extremely clean and Covid safe. There’s a little sanitizer station before you enter. Only 4 guests allowed in store. 2. Great atmosphere: sweet music playing while you browse. 3. They curate the most amazing selections of books! Very organized. Staff is extremely helpful and happy that you are in their store. 4. You must see the collections of kids books and toys available! 5. Icing on the cake: they wrap your books for you with the most beautiful wrapping paper. Your four legged friends get treats as well! 6. They also provide curbside service and make local deliveries.

This is a great bookstore. Small and cozy. They highlight the award winners with many staff recommendations. The person at the front counter knew the book I wanted to buy (they were out of stock) by name and recommended something I might like. I discovered 4 books for my want to read list while here! Right in the main drag of Potrero Hill

Unbelievable little bookstore. Everyone who works there is an avid reader and a good listener. And if they don't have a title, they get it for you in a day or two. You can't go wrong here!

My favorite sf bookstore!! Their selection is fantastic (and if they don’t have it, they’ll order it for you). Everyone who works here is very amiable and well-read, and seemingly always happy to share a recommendation

Really nice bookstore. Small space yet extensive selections. Maybe it's just me? I sensed slight preference for Japanese literature. Nice recommendation books, got my first Yukio Mishima book, that I have been avoiding for a long time...

Cozy family-run bookstore with a fantastic selection of kids books. They stock an impressive variety for all ages in a neat corner of the shop. The shelves are full and well organized. Their knowledgeable & friendly staff were able to help me select a few choices for my kids' unique & particular tastes. Highly recommend this neighborhood bookstore!

One of my favorite places and bookstores in the city! The friendly and hard-working staff there give it a neighborhood and local charm. Highly recommend visiting for all your book needs.

I LOVE small bookshops! This one on the corner in Potrero Hill (SF) is adorable! We hadn't planned on it, we had dinner at the French Restaurant across the street. ( Chez Maman -also sublime ). Anyway, after dinner we decided to check out Christopher's Books. . It was kind of busy for a weeknight, which is so cool. Love that people like to peruse books, actually feel books in their hand and turn pages. you are my people. So I walked the whole book store, they have a tiny children's section, my sister who is a teacher, and a new grandma , settled there and bought a few books. I saw a book that I had heard about (All Fours) and heard the author interviewed on the radio, I picked it up and settled on it. I love that they have little handwritten cards describing some of the books and that there are employees picks, and what they liked about the book. When we went up to make our purchases, that is when I learned of Jimmy Carter's death. ( he had died that day and I hadn't yet heard ). There was a little handwritten card with his books at the counter and the card said, Jimmy Carter - 1924-2024. I said, "Oh my God did Jimmy Carter die?" We chatted about what a wonderful man he was, dignified, honest, his service to the people, the Habitat for Humanity legacy. His love for his wife who had preceded him ..... I digress. Anyway, if you're in the neighborhood, and you love books, and quaint spaces, check it out!

A piece of SF history! This cozy, local book store in Potrero Hill has been around for 30+ years now. It's filled with a fantastic collection, with an even more fantastic staff! I have asked for numerous recommendations and have never been let down. Share a few other books or TV shows you like and they'll recommend a winner. If they don't have a book you're looking for, send an email to them and they will order it at incredibly reasonable prices. Can't say enough positive things about it.

I love local bookstore shops like these. Nestled on a corner off Missouri and 18th, Christopher's Books opens their door for wanderers to enter. Though the space may appear small, I guarantee you will most likely find something that peaks your interest. There are a few stools to sit on to read / browse books, which I had done just that which helped me decide which books I couldn't put down and had to take home with me. Left with a book about writing, poetry, and a travel book. I am very happy with my purchases. Can't find what you're hoping they'd have in stock? No problem! They can place an order of the item(s) you want and have it delivered to the shop for pick-up :] Aside from books, they also have a unique selection of fun things like stickers, knickknacks, toys, cards, that make for fun gifts or things to get that would bring a smile to you or your friend's face. I thought the books I bought were fairly priced. There's also a member spending program. I kind of forgot how it worked, but they track how much you spend and if you reach $100 I think it was, you will receive $credit to use on the following purchase - something like that. Staff was kind, helpful, and approachable.

Great selection for local neighborhood bookstore :)! When in the area, check them out. Also, they happily ordered a book I needed for a class, which I promptly picked up a few days later. Excellent local resource ;)!

I adore small local bookstores with calm atmospheres and a diverse selection of books, and Christopher's Books did not disappoint. While smaller than most, they carry a large variety of authors in the science fiction/fantasy literature section, which is admittedly the only section that I perused. They also have stools in the aisles handy for those (like me) who like to sample their books before purchasing. I live in the neighborhood and always stop by whenever I have the chance to see what new books have arrived.

Friendly service with helpful recommendations based on your preferred authors. Pop in and add to your home library!

I feel so lucky to have this cute, homey bookstore in my neighborhood. I love their focus on authors of color, and diversity in general. I found a beautiful queer Indian book here called Burning My Roti which was such a special find. Normally I go to bookstores to pick up books I already know I want, but I go to Christopher's find my next surprise read. 10/10 would recommend. P.s. they can order any book you want, and if you call ahead of time they can let you know if the book is in stock or not.

What a cute bookstore! They're located right in the heart of Potrero Hill, and they're the perfect place to while away the hours-long brunch wait each weekend. That's exactly what my husband and I did last weekend, and they have a wonderful selection of non-fiction, fiction (including romance!), graphic novels, kid's books, and more. The folks who work there are very friendly and knowledgable. Glad to have a local bookstore like this one!

Christopher's is my favorite independent bookstore. I have been going here for almost 20 years (!). The staff is lovely and super helpful. In addition to books, Christopher's has great gifts too. I used to go here before young children's birthday parties - to grab a book and a small gift. My children love hanging out at Christopher's as much as I do. A true SF gem.

If you are looking for a cozy, friendly neighborhood bookstore, this place is where you should visit. It has good selections for books and many new/feature books have commentaries provided by the owner which is a very nice touch. Be sure to check this place out when you are in the area!

Very cute little bookstore we checked out while we waited for our breakfast reservation! Reasonable prices which are rare to find for a neighborhood bookstore. They will even gift wrap your purchases. I bought a SF neighborhood guide that I love!

Great neighborhood bookstore. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, nice selection and environment to browse. I stop by after getting coffee at nearby Farley's (also great) and get my monthly book recommendation.

On a chilly night, I was warmly greeted by the lady at the counter. She was helpful in explaining about an illustrated edition of a children's classic. They have a great kids section, and games. Check out the cookbooks, which are varied. The new fiction area was extensive, and they have a good selection of poetry and books translated into English. One could spend hours perusing the sections of this cozy shop. I recommend you visit it when you're in Potrero Hill!

Small corner bookstore. Stock is limited They didn't have anything that was on my list. But it's a cute shop for browsing. It's nice to see any bookstore still in business these days.

This place was awesome. It is a small corner bookstore. Don't let my "small" description scare you away! It's very spacious inside and clean. They have such a good selection of books. I saw so many books I wanted. They carry lots of new popular books plus older good ones. I went in looking for a popular historical fiction book that came out a few years ago and they totally had it! I was so happy, not even B&N carried it. Also they were very friendly. It was nice chitchatting with the nice woman at the register. I can't wait to go back.

Cute bookstore. The owner/person at the register was quite knowledgeable. Definitely visit this place and maybe pick the Dune books (wink wink).

I love small independent bookstores, and this one is quite small. Great browsing spot - I walked away with a graphic arts book on fonts...because it looked interesting (and it was). Great little neighborhood on the hilltop, with Mac Daddy and other restaurants right across the street.

Tiny little gem of an independent bookstore. What it lacks in selection (it is postage stamp small) it makes up for in service and in curation. In this charming, corner Victorian storefront, you will find almost every other book they feature is something you might want to haul on out of here and into your home library. I found myself still in their frequent reader system after several years out of town (do these files never get purged?!?) making me feel almost like a local again.

Customer service is amazing. it's a small cozy neighborhood spot with a wide selection of all the latest and greatest.

Stopped by this wonderful little bookshop on a warm Saturday in the city after hiking up to get a coffee across the street. It isn't a big shop, but they have a really excellent selection. There are new releases right as you come in, and then literature and fiction in the back. They also have an extensive travel section in the middle. The clerks working there interacted with us pleasantly, making some suggestions based on things we said we liked. I'm glad to see the other good reviews because this seems like such a great shop. I don't usually buy new books (opting instead to support my library and buy used), but I really wanted to support this shop since it is so obviously operated with love and care for books. In some parallel dream world, I'd like to think that I work here and live around the corner.

CB has become my favorite bookstore in the Bay Area -- which is saying something, given (a) the relative health of indie bookstores here (compared to other cities/regions) and (b) that I live in Berkeley, once the Mecca of indie bookstores hereabouts. Staff is very friendly and responsive to requests, are sharp readers and book aficionados, and generally a cool bunch.

Great little bookstore, it was hard to walk out without bancrupting myself! Staff seem friendly enough.

Delightful neighborhood bookshop - this is a perfect fit and filled with gems. Congratulations on your 25 years and thank you for the celebration! We had a grand time with you all this evening with the BEST cookies and wine...tacos and It's Its...and great music! Thank you!

I pre-ordered and picked up most of the Harry Potter books as they were released at this precious store. I have memories of being a little girl and huddling in the kids corner trying to decide which book to bring home. This is your neighborhood book store with homey vibes that every neighborhood WISHED they could have! Support your local bookseller!

Great neighborhood bookstore with a wide range of books -- fiction, nonfiction, travel, food, kids. Knowledgeable and helpful staff too. And if they don't have a title in stock they can order it and get it in a couple of days. Highly recommended.

It must be SOO hard to run a tiny retail bookstore. You can't compete with the internet in terms of selection or in terms of price, so what do you do? You can try to have a brilliantly curated selection that inspires people to buy books they otherwise wouldn't-- but so few people read books in the first place that most of your customers probably read literary press, and you won't surprise them. The alternative is service. And Christopher's Books really delivers on that front. The proprietress happily answered our many questions about the neighborhood (where she'd spent most of her life)-- it made me really hope she continues to thrive.

Just visited this bookstore for the first time. I was with a writer friend from New York City who had never heard of Anne LaMott before, and I absolutely had to introduce him. Thankfully they had more than a few copies of her works, and he was enlightened enough to send a copy to his mom. (Yes, heart melts.) I also bought a book--one that I had sadly lost en route to the airport a few months ago, and the owner of the bookstore was so nice that she gave me a 10% discount for purchasing the book I had lost. (Again, heart just melted). A delightful shop with a nice selection of books--an extra large selection of travel books. The lady at the bookstore was so warm and friendly. What a treasure to discover in the midst of disappearing brick and mortar bookstores. Hope to be back to explore more in the near future. Thank you so much!

First time in here today. Dominic was super helpful. Wrapped my books for me. Reminds me that it's so much more gratifying to buy books from Local independent booksellers.

So I happened to come across this quaint little place while waiting for brunch over at Plow just a couple blocks down the street. My friend and I had about an hour to kill and my love for literature immediately gravitated toward this particular street corner. The place has a decent selection of books for its diminutive size, though I ended up mostly skimming through the non-fiction novel section. It was one of those places where, at least because I'm not from the area, I figured I should at least buy something from them. After almost settling for a Kafka book for the hell of it, this meta-science fiction novel caught my eye and I instantly knew I had to buy it. I kinda felt like I was going to experience something like that in this type of store. Anyway, the customer service was really nice and they gave us these complimentary bookmarks which had the perfect amount of whimsy that I like. If I lived closer I would definitely come by more often when I'm in the mood to shelf dig.

We like to go to Christopher's Books after eating dinner at Eliza's, so we can get a bit of walking in. Just up the street from Eliza's. http://www.yelp.com/biz/WYG_WDVtxZzFyrHt_s3miQ A quiant little bookstore, open late at night, always a great place to pass the time for a bit.

Super helpful staff and nice selection for an independent book store. Purchased two Dr. Seuss hard covers and had them gift wrapped in seconds for my cousin. Will definitely be back!

This store might be small, but I somehow spent 45 minutes here last week pursuing the shelves and trying to decide which books to buy. Great help from the woman working from the shop, too!

Charming little book shop with fantastic service! I hate to pay full price for books, but I am happy to do it here. They gave me recommendations on kids books that were a big hit! Their fun wrapping paper is an added bonus.

Great staff, wonderful book store. Definitely stop by here for an amazing selection of unique books and an equally amazing staff. Provided great recommendations and even wrapped the books for the holidays!

This book store is my favorite so far in SF. I prefer the neat arrangement of books in simple aisles here rather than twisting around weird corners and quirky spaces of other more crowded stores. They have a rewards program and nice bookmarks. Employees seem friendly too.

As obvious by its diminutive size, Christopher's is no Borders or Barnes & Noble. But for the limited room they have available, the variety are quality of what's stocked is excellent. If there's any book you want that they don't have, they would be happy to order it for you. The owner is an incredible human being, and all the staff are super knowledgeable and helpful. And they have free gift wrapping to boot! BUY LOCAL!!

Another winner. Visit before or after a visit to Farley's. Why, must one ask? Because your visit would so warrant the purchase of a book prior to taking a seat at the neighborhood coffee joint. After your caffeine wake up call? Alleviate the liquid high by the mental consumption of a nice book. Christopher's Books is another tried and true fixture in Potrero Hill and I'm so happy to see that it has yet to fall victim to the crop of independent book stores disappearing in the city. Located on a corner and on the busy street of 18th, the twinkling lights play a "come hither" invitation to diners waiting in line at Eliza's or Chez Maman. In my case? I had just finished a cup of coffee at Farley's and still had an hour to go prior to a dinner party so what better way than to peruse stacks of inviting books. Now I must confess, I am in no way prepared to take on yet another book. My "to read" shelf groans under the stress of purchased books and I had taken a slight detour recently to push through the pages of a Larsson novel. Henry James and James Joyce grit their frustrations at me, from a distance. I can feel the literary eyes in my back each pass I make. A good variety of books, literature and nonfiction. I'm not a big fan of nonfiction, but the cooking section tempts. I've recently began baking sweet breads for parties, given the drop in temperatures, but once Spring peeks around the corner, there is nothing better than a sweet lemon cupcake with a vanilla glaze that beckons for a picnic. My recent foray into City Lights ended in the purchase of Howl by Ginsberg and since that had recently taken up stock on the shelf, I was forced, by choice, to not purchase anything today. In the future? Absolutely. Books are my undoing, as are Louboutins to some.

Full disclosure: I started working at Christopher's recently. I've been coming here since the early 90s when i moved on the Hill and it remains as friendly, well-stocked and fun as my first day here. I could rarely leave without bringing something home. Looking around the store the other day, seeing the shelves and drawers fairly overflowing with potential new reads, I thought to myself, "This place has a lot of heart." Always did.

I love small bookstores like this!! The smell of the books, coziness of being surrounded by walls of books and leisurely perusing the shelves...that's something that Amazon can never capture and I hope these guys can survive with that. Even though we have a Kindle, I encourage my kids to open a book and read one. I think there's something about turning the pages and over the weeks, physically seeing yourself progress through a book makes you a more active reader. Had a dinner run late and I wanted to pick a few books for my son. Most places were closed at 8:30 on a Sun night but a quick Yelp search brought up this lil shop that was open to 9pm. Raced over and got in the door. Quickly apologizing and letting the shop keeper, Ben, know we would be quick. Ben was super sweet and told us to take our time and meant it. We were there until 9:30 and not once did we feel rushed. I had asked Ben if he could recommend some titles for my son and he really took time to find out what he liked, suggested a couple different genres and giving him some idea of the story. As with most teenagers, they are not always receptive to adult input but Ben was great in how he interacted. My son ended up picking up two books, "Ready Player One" and "Hounded" which was almost 2 weeks ago and he has been completely engrossed. Finishing the first and eagerly starting the other. He has said that he wants to go back and let Ben know that he really liked his recommends and to get more. So Ben if you are reading we will be back and you have done your part to excite a young mind about reading, HUGE thank you!!

I love this book store and the whole Potrero Hill neighborhood its in. San Francisco has so many great book stores and this is definitely one of them.

Ordered a set of four books, one was out of print, and service was exceptional as usual. All four arrived within a few days. I love the staff reviews on the books on display, thoughtful and thorough. Christopher's staff is universally friendly, happy to share reviews or not as you prefer. Meebo, my dog, loves the bookstore because they offer her a biscuit each time she visits. Prices are more than amazon but there is a point system with discounts based on purchased amounts.

If you happen to be stuck without a present at 9pm on a Sunday; if you happen to have a 45 minute wait at Chez Papa; if you happen to be taking a walk on Potrero Hill; if you happen to have a hankering for something/anything literary; if you want to hang out, just leafing through stuff with your 5 year old; ...then I would have to say that Christopher's Books is most definitely for you. It's got a great selection, and T is probably the kindest/wisest bookseller I've ever had the pleasure to meet. She ALWAYS manages to help me search out the perfect hard-bound gift imaginable, and special orders certainly don't upset her (kinda like Burger King but without all the grease). Yes, you'll have it your way in more ways than one here, a perfect cure to any dreary/rainy Sunday afternoon. Plus you can never forget the hours: 10am-10pm EVERY DAY. PS: I love this place.

Forget Amazon and head down to Christopher's Books to get a solid selection of books for the young and old alike, great recommendations and super service. If they don't have it, they will get it for you and call you as soon as it arrives; usually just a day or two. They also have a frequent buyer program that gives discounts after you purchase so many books. The shop is small enough that you can bring your kids and they can look at children's books while you are a couple of isles over looking at NY Times best sellers. Christopher's Books makes for a great gift certificate too!

The anti-Amazon, you're not going to find a huge selection here, but Christopher's would be the only bookstore I'd go to if I lived in Potrero Hill. The titles they do carry are carefully selected, so in a sense they're acting as a filter of good literary taste. With Clean Well LIghted Place for Books closing, SF is one step closer to becoming Middle America. For that reason alone, it's worth supporting a place like this.

... a friend recommended that I check out Christopher's Books ... and wow! I've been in the book business for nearly a decade and cant believe I hadn't already heard of this little jewel of a bookshop. The clerk behind the counter was pleasant and willing to answer our questions but not overly chatty and didn't ask if he could help us find something every two minutes ... above all, the store is beautifully curated: I purchased a great little book on baseball, which surprised me, and my daughter, who is a 13 year-old bibliophile, made a long list of books she wants to check out at the library. My daughter is a serious book collector and her method is to only buy books after she has read them and knows that she'll want to read them again and again and again. Her comments about the store included, "We have to come back! Can I get a job there? ... What I liked about this store is that every book on the shelf that I had already read was excellent so it made me feel like I could trust reading the books that I hadn't seen before." Christopher's Books is, I believe, exactly the kind of neighborhood bookstore that can and will survive well into the future. For sure, the store has a first rate book buyer. I hope Christopher's own the building or has a good deal on their rent.

The best little stop to swing by and ask for an obscure author to a remarkable owner who awaits your questions at hand... If they don't have it - she will recommend another, and in my experience it always turns out to be just as great.

This is what it is. A nice neighborhood bookstore. Don't come in here expecting Borders or you'll surely be disappointed! I'm a much bigger fan of used bookstores since it keeps my bookshelves and my wallet looking great. But I have to say, I like this one purely because it's quaint. It's tiny. It's quiet. It's conveniently located. You're not in there with Jon & Kate Plus 8. They sell most of the major bestsellers. This is a great place to come in to on weekends to sit and read covers for an hour to pick out the next book you're going to buy at the used bookstore.

So, while visiting we went to a little french cafe I saw a book store and thought I would stop in to grab something for the drive. I walked in and the place was nice, clean and there was a child lying on a carpet reading in the back and that is exactly what I would want in a bookstore. I walked for a moment and the woman working there was helping someone else and after the other woman left she never even acknowledged my existence. I was disapointed with the help and the prices. Maybe with someone else working or the day it would have been better.

I'm a big fan of Christopher's Books. I live in the neighborhood and feel proud that we still have one of the remaining independent bookstores in the area. I love that I can call them up on the phone --- and a live person answers -- ask if they have a book in stock; if they don't, they offer to order it for me and I have it within a matter of days. Big fan of Christopher's Books.