East Bay Booksellers

Love this bookstore. They had a huge fire in their original building so they moved down the street to a new location. The new place is smaller but still the same great staff and the same great books.

Happened to stop by to try to get these Japanese paper notebooks that I love for writing which I bought from them a couple years ago and saw they they just had a fire. Could still smell the smoke and the fire truck was still in front. I hope they’re able to rebuild and come back! It was such a lovely bookstore and we have fewer and fewer of these kinds of bookstores nowadays.

Beautiful shop! I love the staff recommendations!

Support your local booksellers! It's so refreshing knowing you can walk into a clean, quiet space and still peruse books. It's good for the soul and East Bay Booksellers does it right.

This has become one of my favorite bookstores. It's beautiful inside and has a wonderful book selection in many genres. When I visited twice last month, the woman working was kind and friendly. I found two interesting books (including one featured here in the image) and a gift for a friend. Great place for book lovers!

Rest in Peace, East Bay Booksellers (Formally Diesel Books.) I went there every week when I attended CCA, and frequently we were told by our teachers to buy our required books there. I have no idea how much money I spent there over the years, but it was probably a chunk. It was a friendly space, and everyone who worked there was amazing. Thank you for all of the good times, good reads, and having a wonderful selection.

I’ve always liked this bookstore, and lately the curation has knocked it out of the park! My girlfriend and I got 5 books there earlier this week because we hadn’t seen them elsewhere and we just couldn’t resist! The vibes are great too: cozy and relaxed!

i came here excited to buy 3 copies of a book that was not widely being sold in stores and support a local business and amazing author. the customer service by the tall thin blonde woman left much to be desired. recommend she gets training on customer service. making eye contact, smiling, and not using a sassy, rude tone. i purchased my items and left unhappy with the experience.

OMG!!! I was just popping by and saw you had a fire. I'm so sorry! I hope everyone was safe. I'm looking forward to returning. You have an amazing selection, love the variety! A very friendly and efficient staff, you bring value to the neighborhood! We all need bookstores in our neighborhoods, even if some don't get it! Wishing all of you and your business the very best at this time!!!

I stopped by East Bay Booksellers today while grabbing coffee from Philz. It was so busy (in a good way)! I was able to find parking very easily. The displays had many great options to choose from. I picked one I keep seeing on all the end-of-the-year "best of" lists -- "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin. I asked about a teacher discount, but unfortunately, they don't offer one! Snagged a bookmark on my way out! It's very organized and has many options -- I'll definitely be pack!

Such a cute book store ! I bought the tote because uhm why not ! Such a cute place for book lovers and gifts to book lovers . I love buying books here and there at local bookstores . Def will be back !

I was devastated to learn about the fire this morning 7/30/2024. East Bay Booksellers has been my go-to spot since moving to Oakland ~5 years ago. Really cool selection of all sorts of genres, fiction and non-fiction, at a very fair price. Lots of cookbooks too! We always placed pick-up orders here rather than buying books elsewhere. I hope you come back from the fire. I am completely sure the neighborhood would be there for you--I know I would! We need a bookstore like yours

I recently went to East Bay Booksellers in Rockridge. I am a lover of books and bookstores. Some interesting titles that were both staff recommendations and new books on display here include: I'm with the band: confessions of a groupie by Pamela Des Barres Dave Grohl: The Storyteller: tales of life and music The Korean Vegan Cookbook by Joanne Lee Molinaro Interesting selection here. Support your local bookstore!

After placing our names on the waitlist for Kitchen Story across the street, we came into this lovely bookshop. It is much larger inside than I had expected and had quite an extensive selection. Everything is organized based on genre and up at the front you can also find stationary and little knickknacks. I really love that the bookshop has little staff picks throughout the store and little blurbs accompanying them! They also had small sections with themes such as AAPI and Black Lives Matter which one can appreciate in our recent climate.

I love nerding out at East Bay Booksellers - they've got books for days and the staff gives spot on recs. Total bookworm paradise!

A book lovers paradise~ Upon entering they will ask you to please sanitize your hands with their sanitizer at the door. Masks are worn by all. They are welcoming and helpful. This independent bookstore has a cozy vibe and a great community feel. The selection is amazing for a small store. They have tables of books on art + music as well as socially conscious books for racial equality, gender issues + LBGTQ. I love the feel and smell of books... call me old but I still want to hold and read a newspaper also. I really miss bookstores and don't mind spending a little more to support a local shop. I really loved leisurely browsing all the nooks and crannies of this chill shop. They have a gift & card section as well. Social distancing was respected while in here! I really enjoyed reading all the staff recommendations I especially liked Elizabeth's thoughtful notes... Knowledge is power as they say...

Wow, what an awesome selection of books. It was bigger than I anticipated based on the photos. The attendants were friendly. I am definitely coming back here. I loved how the store is organized and the books that are featured. Many bookstores only feature bestsellers or fiction books but you can tell that they took their time in selecting which books should be placed including a variety of social science, nature, fiction, bibliographies, etc. I always love staff recommendations because you can see the vibe of the staff and I highly recommend reading theirs. They provided brief descriptions not only for their featured books but on their shelves throughout. I appreciated 7 copies of one book weren't in the shelves to showcase more books. What variety-- I could be in here for hours. They have an online store as well in case you want to order and pick up a book. It's in a lovely location in Oakland and highly recommend going to Kitchen Story across (put your name down and enjoy your time in this lovely bookstore).

the staff selections are great (shoutout to adelaide especially). i miss the store quite a bit, and hope they're able to return to normal soon

On a whim, I decided to pay a visit to this little Rockridge bookstore on the way home to Berkeley. Although I am fully aware, a friend recently reminded me of the predatory practices of Amazon from which I recently purchased a book. Her reminder made an impact on my consciousness, prompting me to consider supporting small businesses during this pandemic. Most who know me know that I'm an avid reader, so it comes as no surprise that I would choose to support a bookstore. I easily found parking across the street, walked over and glanced at the store display. Post-BLM protests, it was not surprising to see shelves decked out with books promoting racial equality. I felt empowered to support a business that seeks to promote these ideas. So I did something I hardly ever do, I purchased a book at retail price (a whopping $28). And for those who know me, they know I prefer to buy books on sale (yay HPB!) or borrow it from the library. But for some reason today, I felt the need to do my part in helping keep small businesses such as these alive. It helped that I was greeted with a warm smile and excellent customer service. My transaction was swift in part because I was the only customer and the book was in stock/not difficult to find. I purchased "How Much of these Hills is Gold", a national bestseller that's set during the American gold rush. It was also my way of giving back after attending an Independent Bookstore Day celebration at this very bookstore last year. Apart from this, I look forward to continue being a patron + hope they continue providing a great selection of books for the community in years to come.

This is one of the best bookstores in the Bay Area. The store itself isn't huge, but the selection is excellent. If you're looking for unique books and books not on The NY Times bestseller list, this is the place to go. The section of translated books, books from independent presses, and rare selections is magnificent. I can't wait to go back.

Great little store in Rockridge. I was out and about, checking in at various bookshops for a browse, and this one was a lovely one to browse at. If you're looking for anything culturally relevant you'll definitely find it here. My friend and I were immediately drawn in by the stationery section, which has tons of cute planners and notebooks. They also havea. good array of greetings and postcards. A good mix of pretty and functional options, too. I thought I was being smart by holding back early in a long day of shopping but I'm still thinking about a yellow notebook with super smooth pages that we were eyeing. They have high ceilings and everything is well spaced out for browsing. They have plenty of options on tables and featured shelves and everything was well curated. I liked that they had a Belles-Lettres section (always my fav). I had a look at quite a few books there that I hadn't seen before that sounded interesting. The fiction section also has a good amount of translated fiction and work from smaller presses. I didn't end up purchasing any books (save for a wee Oakland postcard as a souvenir) but the booksellers were very friendly and chatty as my friend checked out. Nice spot and I'd definitely visit again.

Very intelligent, informed staff with great suggestions!! Great selection of books. Quick turn around time when ordering books that they don't have in stock. Totally reasonable prices. Can do business with them over the phone. I like keeping my money local instead of feeding the web.

Great bookstore. Wonderful selection of Bay Area related books. Also great variety of kids books. Friendly staff.

My favorite local bookshop. Granted: I haven't been _inside_ the actual bookshop since covid hit. But since covid hit, they're my regular store for ordering the books I read at book club, and other books I need. They're super-responsive and detail-oriented. For example: I had ordered the hardcover edition of a book that more recently come out in paperback, and they emailed me to check if I didn't want to save the couple of bucks and get it faster. Just today: I ordered a book to give as a gift to a kid for her birthday. Want to know how much time elapsed between my placing the online order and them emailing me to know that the book was wrapped and ready to go? Nine minutes. Speedy! And they had exactly the book we were looking for. I know I could save some money by purchasing from Jeffy B, but: I don't want places like this to go away. Jeffy's not going to email me in nine minutes letting me know that my order's giftwrapped and ready for pickup. And he's not going to helpfully suggest that a different edition of a book can save me time and money.

AMAZING staff picks, superb selection of new stuff, the quality-to-quantity ratio is off the charts. Often end up buying more than I planned!

I was walking up College Avenue and saw this bookstore. Two books immediately caught my eye and I picked one up to buy and made a couple of pleasant comments about both books. Both (female) booksellers froze me out. Incredibly rude. I stopped in the bookstore again on my way home and spoke to another bookseller about the incident. He defended them. Yes well curated but what a terrible bookstore. Check out the poster extolling their customer service in the photo. What hypocrites.

Diesel was a much cooler name, but the sacrifice was worth it as a former clerk bought it with the financial help of the surrounding community from a couple who already owned two other Diesel bookstores. They were willing to part from this quiet College Avenue location, and he seized the opportunity. The space was quite inviting with high ceilings, industrial piping, and hardwood accents (photo: http://bit.ly/2Ev5L1H), and it was blessedly free of looky-loos shopping for their next Amazon purchase. No, this bookstore is for the serious non-Kindle hardback lover. There are a couple of red leather recliners for long-term browsing in front of a painting of a man hugged by a fish amorously (photo: http://bit.ly/2GjKd8X). I was lulled into such a state of literati that I ended up buying Sheryl Sandberg's "Option B" to get her practical take on dealing with loss, the Lonely Planet guidebook to Iceland, and a set of neon-colored pencil because I felt a need for something whimsical to express myself (photo: http://bit.ly/2o385qG). Kudos to new owner Brad Johnson for taking the initiative of investing in his passion and keeping the literal intimacy of a true bookstore.

My new favorite independent bookstore in the East Bay! They have a great selection of books and the employees are incredibly friendly. Many best-selling books have notes with reviews attached, which are very cute! Ambience here is also nice, as they have some armchairs and seating throughout the store. Never felt pressured to purchase a book. As with most independent bookstores, books will cost you $15-$30 but it's definitely worth supporting a local business. East Bay Booksellers also hosts authors' talks and you can get some of the staff's recommendations if you sign up for their mailing list!

I love supporting local bookstores, and East Bay Booksellers is no exception. They've got a great selection of both fiction and nonfiction here, but the real reason to come is for the community aspect. The staff recommendations are just the start - I saw that they have events here as well. On top of it all, they've got some chairs near a fireplace - what more can you want?

This is a wonderful bookshop, stocked with an eclectic selection, from mystery to political theory. Especially love that there are shelves dedicated to Black and Indigenous studies as well as Belles-Lettres! I got so caught up reading that before I knew it, more than an hour had passed. I ended up buying a copy of The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde. I'm definitely visiting this bookstore every chance I get.

I've been ordering a ton online from EBB. They are fast with responses about orders, helpful about shipping gifts (I pick up my orders at the store). They are an anchor -- fantastic service, excellent recommendations, overall great experience. (You can make appointments to go into the store.)

I LOVE my local bookstore to the moon. The staff are incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and helpful. The place is cozy and welcoming. They invite authors, writers, poets, and more, creating and awakening stories to life. Their kids selection is excellent too. They can make special orders for any book in case they don't have it on hand. And they are making it work during quarantine with amazing neighbors - Chocolate Dragon! Support!

I get everything here - They are great. Order and pay online, pick up at the store. Usually find something unexpected and great along their recommended books on display at the same time : ) No shipping packaging + support local small businesses!

A very good selection of books, curated and presented well. Plus notes and cards. Sadly, the customer service standard has dropped considerably since the store, previously called Diesel Books, came under new management 5 years ago. It used to be a friendly place, but some of the current staff are cold and rude. One woman, tall and very thin, is particularly frosty. After a recent encounter I had to be rushed to Alta Bates for treatment for frostbite and hypothermia. Just kidding (but you get the point). The owner should take a very careful look at this, given that Rockridge residents have the choice of another bookstore -- Pegasus Books -- just two blocks away.

I love the layout of this store. It almost feels like a library rather than a bookstore, if that makes sense. Used books along the top shelves. Wendell Berry book count: 1.

A cute, quaint little boutique bookstore in Rockridge. I've popped in here many times throughout high school to browse the selections. Over the years, they've updated the organization of the store--the children's section is much neater now. It used to be much messier and crowded. Lighting has brightened, and even though this is a pretty small bookstore, they still have a decent selection of books, and I can spend quite a while browsing here. They also have couches that you can sit on and read. The staff is also very friendly and knowledgeable. Even if they don't have a book in their store, they're able to order it for you so that it's ready for you to pick up when it arrives. Definitely happy to see this local indie bookstore surviving the recession and remaining a staple in the Rockridge neighborhood.

Stumbled upon this bookstore while walking around the Rockridge area and immediately fell in love with it! Spacious bookstore with a (faux?) fireplace in the back with a pair of comfy sofa chairs. There were a decent amount of books to choose from with staff picks written on call out slips. Admittedly found myself scanning via my Goodreads app for additional reviews before making my selections. I appreciated the top 10 book rankings for each category and found myself immersed in the fiction and sci-fi sections for a while. I purchased a collector edition of a book I've been wanting to read. It happened to have the author's signature inside, too! What a find!

Celebrate independent bookstores. Celebrate Pendragon and Pegasus, put your hands together for Spectator, say a prayer of thanks for Diesel. Visit these places early and often. Surely, the bigger names keep the good people employed and have the on-line resources these smaller spaces lack. Certainly in the mall you can get a coffee with your books, and sit sipping your corporate latte while you peruse your corporate book looking all studious and cool. But, no offense intended, your friends will think you're way more interesting if you drag them with you to Diesel. They'll think it because, if only for that moment, it will be true. The Diesel I enjoy so much is on College, short paces from spaces to eat and drink and make merry. Inside, the store is cozy. Friendly, helpful staff, a fireplace and comfortable sitting surfaces in the back, interesting cards and giftses to your right as you enter. Staff picks on racks to the left; current offerings displayed upon tables in the center of the store. There is always something to read at Diesel. Last evening I picked up two more copies of what I'm reading now - Remaking California (for the public good). It's an extremely well-crafted collection of essays on our state of affairs, on its roots, on its dark sustaining forces. The work is important in that it opens the lid on this tattered box in an accessible and engaging manner. You don't want to put it down. Loveys, you must get it. Let me know when you do and we can make a date to talk about this and the other things in the world. After, we can get a milkshake and trip the lights fantastic. All smart. All beautiful.

We love East Bay Books. Great online selection and contactless pickup, also the nicest staff. Love supporting this local business every chance we get.

Full disclosure: books are my crack. Diesel is in my top 5 bookstores. They have a wonderful selection of books. The shop is big, but not too big - it is spacious with a cozy feel. Wood floors make it extra special. There is something about a bookstore with wood floors that makes my heart swoon. Plus 10 if there's a creaky board or two. There are a few tables with recommendations by the staff. I love that. I especially love seeing what they recommend/write about books I've enjoyed already. I scored a fab new book called The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson. It was recommended by Chris whose other recs also caught my eye. Hubby scored a signed copy of Al Franken's new book, and kiddo found a lovely planner for her senior year. The staff is all wonderful, helpful, and friendly. We didn't have our Darwin Doodle with us, but they are a dog-friendly shop! I always love that. Dogs and books are a great pairing. In addition they post notices for all sorts of great events and (possibly one of my faves) they carry voter registration forms. That makes my heart happy. 10 years ago we bought our daughter's Born to Read shirt there. I have one I bought a few years ago and it's my most-loved and worn tshirt. Stop in and get lost in magic.

This is a nice book store and I like how it's set up. The cashier who was a young lady was very friendly; however, the older woman who was putting books away wasn't very welcoming. It's a sold store but the service could be better.

This is a cool bookstore! I came across it because I was getting coffee in the area. There's a lot of parking here. This place had a little section for kids. The place was ok. There was some spots where you can sit and read. The prices were ok. They give you book marks which I love. Overall it was ok and it's close to a lot of coffee shops.

my local shop, and their covid procedures are fantastic. Over the holidays I ordered nearly all my gifts from them, AND had a few prepared for me to pick up in less than ten minutes on one occasion. Excellent booksellers, excellent selection, excellent location.

One of the best bookstores around. I'm from the valley and our used bookstore pales in comparison. I will gladly make the trip to East Bay Booksellers for the service & selection! Staff is so friendly and helpful. I asked for one recommendation, and got four! I also needed help dipping into a new genre, which they were more than happy to help me with. They have plenty of new titles, and great used conditions ones too. Can't wait to shop here again.

Unfriendly and unwelcoming. Too bad would've spent my grant money of $1,000.00 as well as recommend other educators to spend their grant money there but I can not tolerate the selective customer service mentality. A total turn off..Marcus Books has a waaay better vibe with friendly welcoming staff. Go there instead!

I have purchased some autographed books on the phone and they are super professional, responsive, prompt, and packaged everything beautifully. They even gift wrapped since some of them were gifts. I was very happy with the service.

Had time to pop into this bookstore (had never been here before) and was excited to check out an indie bookshop. Was glad to see their display of Lunar New Year books and wandered around the store. One I appreciate about bookstores like these are that they typically focus on books and don't have huge displays dedicated to non-book stuff (toys, bags, etc.). Didn't see anything that caught my interested but it looks like it's reasonably well-stocked so if you're looking for a book and you're in a jam there's always this place to check out. A couple of dings, though. The back seems really messy. I was trying to check out their display of upcoming events but it seems like they don't quite know what to do with that section of the store. They had a box dedicated to donating books it looks like but it also felt like they had simply thrown that display there because there was no other room elsewhere. I was somewhat disappointed but ultimately not surprised at the comments in other reviews about a lack of customer service. It might be the same older woman too--I was never greeted, she never asked me if I needed help, etc. There were only 3 people max in the store at any given time I was there, so even a hello wouldn't have been a big deal. I want to support indies but this was a very similar experience I had at the Stacey's Books that used to be in downtown San Francisco. At least at Barnes and Noble they DO say hello if you're in the vicinity. I honestly don't know why independent bookshops don't seem to teach the basics of customer service to their employees. I'd probably go back if I needed a book immediately and verified they had it in stock but it's not a place I'd make the effort to visit at all. There are other still other bookstores (Pegasus is not far from here) that can have my business.

Nice, independent bookstore with well-stocked shelves, interesting staff picks, and an ongoing set of author-related events. More than anything, I appreciate the clear signage and intuitive layout of the stores and genres - it's really easy to find what you're looking for and at the same time, you'll likely find a few interesting other books along the way.

I have always enjoyed stopping into Diesel when I'm in the Rockridge area. Recently, Gayle and I stopped as part of an afternoon out in what she would call the urban and gritty East Bay. I love walking down the various sections of College Avenue and am continually charmed by what my parts of "Greater Albany" have to offer. When I enter Diesel, I like the vibe coming in, in addition to the magazines on the left, the journals on the right, the wood staircase to the mezzanine office, and the chair and fireplace towards the rear. I like the selection and how the books are displayed. Staff is friendly and their advice and picks are well considered. It's a great place to browse and buy, of which a equivalent place can't really be found in Gayle's Pleasant Hill environs.

Every neighborhood needs a bookstore. Even better if there's more than one. There's not much that I enjoy more than bopping from Pegasus to Diesel, and then to Enoteca Molinari for a glass of wine. A terrific trifecta. Putting the wine glass down for a moment, I give thanks that Diesel has survived this tragic era of bookstores closing. It probably couldn't have been easy, given that big box booksellers have shut down or sized back. If Diesel took a beating it's hard to notice because she carries herself so gracefully. It helps to have helpful and charming staff who can sense when you need help and when you just want to browse. I love reading the staff recommendations, especially from Jon Stich, who must be my literary soul mate. Swoon. For fiction I usually hit up the used booksellers, my taste veering towards those in the dead poets society, so at Diesel I'm usually in the cookbook, art, science, and travel sections. The range of books that they carry is great, and they definitely prioritize quality over quantity. You may not find the exact book you're looking for, but they can order it for you. I've always left with something great, most recently some guilty pleasure cookbooks. At least I have a clean conscience about where I bought these behemoths. I hope that Diesel burns brightly forever. If it were to go, so would the neighborhood.

Diesel is an interesting indy bookstore. they carry many sections of books but not all titles are available. the shelving is reminiscent of books, inc. in alameda or is it vice versa? probably only books of interest to rockridge residents are stocked. some sections have used copies available. read: "the origins of the political order", francis fukuyama (8 not 35). -definitely a different perspective than howard zinn. loose leafs -"cashier" gave me oral outline of store: new fiction, new nonfiction, best selling books at diesel...cool. -worthwhile to browse for "bargains" in classics here. -inventory of titles very limited. -assume new titles full price, no signs indicating any discounting.

I've been going here for over a decade. it's one of the main reasons I moved to Rockridge. There's nothing like a good bookstore to bring together a community. Small bookstores may have a reputation of being snooty. Well, this store is thankfully not that. They are genuinely friendly and interested in helping you find what you're looking for. If they can't help, they'll tell you just that. If they need to order something for you, they'll get it to you in a couple of days. Diesel has an incredible selection of books that have been thoughtfully placed on the shelves. The staff favorites bookcase is where I almost always start. I used to follow Hannah, John, and Alison. Now I've found myself moved on to others as Hannah has left. This is where I discovered Jonathan Letham for the first time. This is where I came to chat about Murakami when I was lucky enough to be introduced. This is where I can talk about books with people who love books. And, it's all just a few minutes from my place. I never get tired of coming in here, talking to the owners or staff, looking for books, browsing magazines on the comfy couch in the back, or picking up a paper on the way to lunch. Also, you can join their club and receive $20 for every $200 you spend. It's a nice little reward for being loyal. Makes me feel good about giving my money to the little guy. Definitely worthy of checking out if you like to read. The events are incredibly well run as well. Great authors visit here.

I happened to be in the neighborhood - getting a mocha down the street and wandered in here on New Year's Day - I found out they were open because the owner just wanted to be open - he had not planned to be open but thought his customers would want to browse the books. That is so cool. So cool in fact that I bought three books on that stop there. They always have something that I want. I have been coming here since they were Diesel Books and it still has the mojo. Relaxed atmosphere - lots of good books and that East Bay independent bookstore vibe. Just great. Don't shop Amazon - shop here and support local bookstores!

I'm a future bookseller, so I walk into all bookstores with an eager but hyper-critical eye. A friend and I were wandering around Oakland when we noticed the big sign above the door: "BOOKS." Of course I had to go in! To my pleasant surprise, I recognized the man behind the counter (one of the owners, John Evans)--we'd been at the same booksellers conference in San Jose a few days before. I spent a long time talking to him--John was helpful, encouraging, and full of great ideas for my future bookstore. After my chat with him, I wandered around the store for a long while, impressed with the sharp homemade signs, staff recommendations, and more. There are a couple places to sit and a handful of helpful booksellers wandering around offering their help. (One woman I worked with was very friendly, offering to order in a book they'd run out of. I live far away and didn't need a copy of the book, but it was a kind offer!) I really dig this place.

This is a cool enough bookstore, but I really prefer Pegasus - if only because I'm on that side of the street more often. Diesel has much the same stuff, but it feels a bit more sterile. As for its selection, if I'm looking for kids books, i'd definitely come here too, if there's something I didn't find at Diesel. The stuff are helping and friendly. I don't really have anything bad to say here, and it probably doesn't deserve the low 3 stars, I just don't feel the vibe here. But don't let that put you off visiting.

Great place, great books, great people. Wrapped about 10 books very quickly for me. Did a great job ona special order. Thank you!

It's really wonderful to live in a neighborhood that has two independent bookstores. Diesel is one-- a wonderful store with a homey feel, and a comfortable place to browse. The staff reviews can be helpful in finding recommendations, and the staff themselves are always friendly and accessible. It also has a regular calendar of events: we've taken advantage of quite a few interesting talks by authors. We hope to keep the bookstore alive-- and would recommend ordering your books here rather than on-line! All-in-all a valuable part of the neighborhood-- it makes Rockridge a better place to live in!