The Battery Books & Music

I love this bookstore. It's a beautiful bookstore. I am grateful for its mere existence.

There’s been a few books on my “to-buy” list that I’ve never seen at other used book stores, but have somehow found here. This place definitely has an interesting collection and is worth stopping by to support. Looking forward to my next visit!

I love this store!! Richard is awesome. Great book readings and great music performers! One of Pasadena's finest. I say this because everytime I am here I gain something and increase my knowledge with either a new book or meeting a great person. Definitely check it out. Great atmosphere and positive energy.

I bought a book online where it is becoming increasingly difficult to find reliable dealers with accurate descriptions and respectful wrapping for shipping. I was delighted when a beautifully Mylar encased book in perfect condition arrived incredibly quickly. I’m hoping to visit soon in person. Thanks!

Great place! Went with a small group of friends and we all bought things. Has a great variety of books, comics, CDs, etc, and all at amazing prices. You'll definitely find something you're interested in regardless of age! It may seem small from the pictures, but it makes use of every space. The store owner is also splendid, he's very nice and fun to talk to as well as extremely helpful and passionate. It's become a favorite place and I will 100% visit again soon.

Elitist know-it-all staff, worst book store experience I’ve had in LA. I wouldn’t waste your time. Plenty of other stores in the area with patient, kind people.

What a special place! I am eager to return and explore more of their selection of books and music.

Great bookstore with so many hidden treasures to look through with stacks of books. Must stop !

I love this place. I can spend hours in here searching through the books and CDs. I mostly go for the CDs and always find something new (well used and older but new to me) and interesting to purchase but the book selection is pretty fabulous as well. The owner knows his stuff and we always have interesting chats about my purchases. And, the CDs are reasonably priced as well. I don't get to Pasadena much but when I do, this place is a must. I will be back when I can. Highly recommend! Five Stars!

Books books books. A great place to go searching for treasures. Great assortment of old and newer books that are waiting to be found. Random stacks to look through- while listening to random records playing. Friendly conversational owner. Negative reviews are people who are expecting to be at a barnes and noble with ample staff and a Starbucks- lame sauce.

Amazing place! Went with a small group of friends and we all bought things. Has a great variety of books, comics, CDs, etc, and all at amazing prices. You'll definitely find something you're interested in regardless of age! It may seem small from the pictures, but it makes use of every space. We all just kept finding more and more books and music, losing track of time extremely quickly. The store owner is amazing, he's nice and fun to talk to as well as extremely helpful and passionate. It's become a favorite place for all of us and I will 100% visit again soon.

What a little gem! We stumbled upon this book store a while back when we were staying in Pasadena and I'm so glad that we did. To echo what many have already said, the owner is incredibly welcoming and friendly! He started a very candid conversation with me as my boyfriend was going through all the records. I feel like I learned so much about him in the short amount of time I was there (in the kind of way where you feel like you've just made a friend by the end of the conversation). Anyway, my boyfriend picked up a record and Rich (the owner) offered to play it for him. He was so nice about it, it honestly felt like we were in his second home. (: The store itself was fun to go through. Books are organized by category and may feel a little overwhelming when you first go in since there are literally towers of books sprinkled along the bookcases. They're not alphabetically ordered and some may be misplaced but nevertheless, this just made the experience feel like an adventure since you don't know what you may find! I ended up with a book and the boyfriend a few records. *Tip* if you have any books you're ready go part with, bring them here and see if rich will be interested in buying them! He told me that he usually pays attention to which authors are selling in his store, considers how popular or new the book is, etc. I need to make my way back there soon and this time, I may bring some books to sell! ((:

A fine example of an old school version of a cluttered used bookstore with stacks of books on the floor vaguely alphabetized, Battery Books & Music has been around a few years I believe and has steadily improved. Their fiction section impresses and the prices are easy-going. It's about a third or a fourth the size of Book Alley, which is a few blocks away, and similar in almost every way, but it's nice to have two used bookstores in the same area of Pasadena. That says something about the city.

This is a place where you can easily/happily lose your sense of time. Grabbed four books in the $4-$15 range, all in great condition. Street parking is free after 6pm on weekdays.

Nice selection. Good prices. Shame google maps directs you into the alley. Picked up a book on silent films I'd never seen. Was only 10 bucks to boot.

I really want to love to place. But their hours are all Over the place. They rarely if ever only open at 2pm. Usually it's 2:30 or 3 If you are lucky. Books are Sort of all over the place, some moderately priced and others that are ridiculous. The charm of being disorganized loses its charm pretty quick. Owner and employees are usually in Bad moods, or seem bothered if you ask them any questions. Plus they are always so busy doing something else. Just food for thought. Organize and clean your store and treat customers like Human beings and I guarantee you, you will have more business. Really want to support the store, but like I said. It's 2:20 and still not open.

Hooboy, what a great little bookstore with treasures within! I wandered in with my partner a few weeks ago on a walk in the area, after who knows how many years of driving by, saying, "We should check that place out!". I'm so glad we did. We trawled through the many stacks of books and records and found some great, reasonably priced finds -- a few records including a Harry Nilsson album, and a really cool old book of full of (now) retro-futuristic illustrations, inventions, and technologies from the late 70s. I'm always looking for that kind of ephemera for art reference and research, so it was a big hit for me! We'll definitely be back again!

When I think of a bookstore, this place is the image that comes to my mind. They had every book that is on my 'want to read' list and more. The best part is that there is no way of know what you'll find on those shelves. Everything is organized by category, but farther than that- you just have to spend some real good time looking for what peaks your interest! I could spend hours here. The owner was pleasant and knowledgeable. I will be back here again and again

Rich or Rick was a super awesome dude! Got some eccentric books and CDs from here and he definitely knew the store all around

This is such a great place to get lost in the stacks! There's a general organization by genre, but if you're looking for something specific you might have to do some digging. The best way to shop somewhere like this is to go in with a free hour or two and look at everything until something catches your eye. There's so much variety that you're guaranteed to find a gem.

My brothers took me here today for my birthday and we bought 4 books that ended up at 20 dollars. It was super cheap and the guy who was working there was the coolest person ever!!! all the art/music there was amazing and everything i've been looking for. no book store should ever be NOT cluttered and i love it. DEFINITELY COMING BACK!!

What a great used bookstore. They have thousands of interesting titles--hard cover, paperbacks and CDs, all in great condition. Five stars. Highly recommended for those who prefer real books vs. digital downloads.

Variety of books offered at really awesome prices! This little gem of a bookstore in Pasadena is a must visit for both book lovers and browsers alike. Parking was somewhat challenging to find initially; but we found spots available on the other side of the street for 1hr. Utilize the 10% off promo by checking in on Yelp too. Thanks

Great!!! A bibliophile's dream a must stop for any book and music lover great pricing

Great local shop, good people, great selection, reasonable prices. I've been a customer at the old location in So Pas and now the new one on Los Robles near downtown Pasadena

Found some good books here and had a nice little chat with the proprietor. The Battery is a cozy and friendly little shop!

Step away from the computer for a moment, stop the online shopping, and experience the unique discoveries at this cool bookstore. I've been a loyal customer to The Battery since it was first established in South Pasadena years ago. I regret that I haven't been visiting as often since they relocated a year or two ago to Pasadena proper. Stopping in the other night was a pleasant surprise; still a cozy atmosphere, very organized, and with a diverse collection of titles. The owner, Rich, has always been helpful with inquiries and talkative about literature and the arts. He has a fantastic art book section. Prices are fair for what he has to offer. Can't recommend this place enough!

Nice spot to dig thru piles of stuff for a special treasure find. have found many cool books, cds, and records here. Owner is super friendly.

This place was awesome! I went here looking for vinyls and found 5 great finds for really good pricing. One of them was of Diana Ross for $4 and it was basically brand new! They had a pretty good selection for vinyls and the worker said they usually get a lot of trade ins all the time. The vinyls were also pretty organized as it was easy for me to sit there and go through them all. My boyfriend said they had a great selection of books too, especially if you're interested in comics and or anime/manga.

I am obsessed with books. In a MAJOR way. Meaning, I read constantly (I don't even own a TV), I go to the library once a week AND volunteer there (in fact, I just took a test for possible employment), my father was an author, I am active on goodreads.com, etc. You can venture to guess that I am a firm supporter of bookstores. Sadly, not all bookstores are cut from the same cloth and Battery Books' fabric may be moth-bitten. Battery Books is a small shop with squished together aisles and shelves filled to the brim with books. Although the meandering through this tight space can be awkward and may cause bumps and bruises; I still support the layout due to my love for independent book stores. However, my instant gratification was let-down due to the immediate lack of customer service. One of the owners/managers/employees (?) only said hello to us when we addressed him first and spent more time with the children (his?) who were eating dinner in the store. He never spoke to us again, even though we were the only customers in the store at the time. The Asian lady behind the counter also completely ignored us. No hello, no "May I help you?", no glance our way. Heck, even a dirty look would have been welcome at this point versus seemingly being invisible. I expect neighborhood friendly service at such shops in order to keep customers coming back... that was certainly not the case here. Battery Books does try to implore an organizational method to categorize the books (art, history, poetry, philosophy, antiques, etc). However, the method doesn't make particular sense and the shelf labels can be difficult to see due to the tight space. The books do feature some gems (and at average used book prices), therefore making Battery Books ideal for the rare-book lover on your gifting list or wacky book you desire to give as a joke. However, good luck asking for a specific book due to the absence of customer service. During my particular visit, a blues band was performing in the back of the store. Not only were the musicians rather great, but the live music added a unique element to Battery Books mixing various forms of art (music and literature) and resulting in a memorable shopping experience. Overall, Battery Books may or may not be a book paradise but there are better options available. More importantly, customer service is terrible which makes even the most avid reader skip it for a more caring experience. I'll take my book obsession elsewhere.

Since Mix n' Munch next door was not open yet, I decided to venture into Battery Books & Music to kill some time. When you first walk into this store, it screams used books although I noticed that they also had some new books as well. I would describe their layout as organized chaos. There are books, records, and miscellaneous items scattered throughout the store. There is an attempt to categorize the books by type, but then there are just piles of books all over the place. You definitely need to ask someone for help locating a book if you are even doing that. At least their book selection is pretty interesting with novels from Joseph Conrad and Ayn Rand, but again, it is very limited. I felt like I was at a used garage sale coming into this store. I don't really know how this type of store stays afloat, but this seems to be a random store where you are not looking for anything in particular but something catches your eye for you to purchase. Unfortunately, even with that, the books are piled in front of each other so it actually blocks the remainder of the titles for you to see.

Support local! Wonderful little bookstore in Pasadena~ Shopkeeper knowledgeable of all books, movies, and music in store and gave wonderful recommendation on flower plants. Definitely come shop by as they have quite a trove of treasures! You may be surprised what you find. :) RECOMMENDATION: Their selection of children's books, collector books, and VHS for those that are old school! They got quite vintage media sets here!

I love the way they treat books.. Richard's a great guy. He's the owner, knows everything Highly recommend

Can you say "chock full of books?" I knew that you could. I like to come in here when it's quiet...weekdays are great. I have bought quite a few great little novels in here. Also, a small but interesting kids section. I actually wish there were even more kids books because my kids are AVID readers and I like the idea of repurposing well loved books. I wish it was set up a little more for easy browsing and not so crowded and you basically have to get down on the floor for kids books. But, such is life....it's not a Barns and Noble and thank god for that.

There's an old saying that goes something like, "You can judge whether or not a city's downtown is worth an afternoon spent there, based on the quality of its bookstores." And by "old saying," I mean I just pulled it out of my ass. But even if it actually were an old pearl of wisdom instead of an awkward segue into a Yelp review, The Battery Books & Music is a very loud and beautiful voice in a downtown South Pasadena that is charming, quiet, quaint, and everything that a bigger city ain't: a haven for small businesses, mom and pop shops that range from cupcakes to patisseries to steak, bathtubs, sushi, yoga, and all the brews you could ever want or use, of the coffee and alcohol and aromatherapy variety. And books.  The Battery is the embodiment of the small, corner bookstore that you remember from when you were a little kid and bookstores were still a thing, or from whatever past you had before Kindles and Ipads and Kanye West's Twitter hijacked the printed word for everything except your $200 college biology textbook (with a CD supplement you will never use).  Books, books, and more books! The Battery has them. Some new, but mostly used and dog-eared and highlighted and footnoted with some lady's writing from 1970, or some kid's signature where it says "This book belongs to __________," but you know he's like fifty years old now. The Battery has all those time capsules form people who might have never even known their little "Bill loves Jenny" on page 54 became interesting sixty years later. And CDs, cassettes, and LPs, too. An old Columbia House Alice in Chains CD from 1994? Gimme. A full-length, 45 LP of Mandarin Chinese for Beginners from just after World War 2? Throw it in the bag. A wrinkled motel map of colonial Williamsburg, Pennsylvania from the 60s? I might find that useful sometime, you never know, especially if we master time travel and I'm bored with my hoverboard in California and want to try it on the East Coast.  The books are fine even without the little touches of humanity that show they've been loved already once, long or not too long ago, and haven't given up on being loved again. They're loved already, by the shelves and eaves and setees and employees seen and hidden in ever nook and cranny--and by me, too, and maybe you. You might stumble across a biography of Josef Stalin, or some old Korean guy's kitchen diary from the 1980s. Tanks of the Third Reich? Sure. Witchcraft for Dummies? You'll find lots of stuff like that. Maybe a one-off volume from a series of hardcover case journals from an attorney's office out of the 1920s, too, why not? Here, every day is Christmas and Hanukkah and your birthday and a really strong orgasm and a one in a million find that makes you feel lucky and sneaky all at once.  It's always a treasure hunt at The Battery, and there are chairs inviting you to stay a while, unlike the few remaining chain bookstores that skimp on seats to remind you they aren't a lending library. The employees at The Battery don't seem to mind if you hang out there all day, or even eat a big sandwich while you read in the store. You'll definitely want to buy something at The Battery, anyway, and your $5 will go very far. Sometimes there's live music, believe it or not, even though the shop is smaller than the average Pinkberry.  Rock out like a sardine, bruh.  The Battery is the shiznit, immune to changing times, and will keep going, and going, and going, because hardcore readers are its bunnies.  (Imean energizers).  Whatever.

Such a hidden gem! Excellent bookstore in Pasadena. Super good prices and great selection that isn't picked over. Lots of books and records, CDs, and tapes, too. The owner is super nice and knowledgable. Very easy to visit during covid times just wear a mask and keep a distance. You can sell items there, too. Support small businesses!

This store has a unique way of stocking its inventory that is told elsewhere on this site: rip people off. You'd think that a store that advertises it buys books from private sellers for sale would at least offer fair prices for buying them. No, what this place does is offer lowball prices that make selling on Amazon and eBay a far more attractive deal. I dropped 3-4 books off at the store and was told the "buyer" would get back to me with a price. I was asked to sign a form which I didn't read - OK my fault. So when the buyer called to offer about $4.00 for each one, I was appalled. These were new, limited edition books that were selling for $50.00 each on Amazon - as "used". So when I returned a week later, the books had suddenly vanished. The guy behind the counter explained "read your receipt" which stated any books left unclaimed after 3 days would be considered "donated" to the store due to "lack of space". I don't know how many of their books are is "donated", but it's a good - if not dishonest - business model for obtaining inventory. Plus, the parking is nearly non-existent since they are in a no parking zone Los Robles and the spaces in the rear of the store are for 3 cars. Fuhgetaboutit.

Nice store and excellent inventory. I always find some nugget when I go visit the store. The owner is really knowledgeable and doesn't ever get in the way but is always there for help.

Just my kinda bookshop! A little messy (which I LOVE) and packed to the brim with old and new, at super affordable prices. I wish more bookstores like this existed, forget Amazon and Kindle! This place has character and spirit, which seems to be on the decline in today's technological world. Also, the owner is incredible. His name is Richard and he's super sweet, knowledgeable, and has excellent taste. Please, do yourself and humanity a favor, go and support this small business. You won't be disappointed!

This book store exceeded every expectation that I had. An extremely well stocked collection of rare and desirable books, as well as all the classics. I can guarantee that you will not leave wanting. Richard is an absolute joy, he is extremely knowledgeable and willing to help. He can walk you to any subject you are looking for, and suggests perfect companions to what you are buying. The prices are also fantastic. Extremely reasonable, and very fair I believe you would be hard pressed to find a better deal for books of this quality anywhere else. Do not hesitate to support this local Buisness. I would rate it 10 stars if I could.

I absolutely love this book store! You can find real gems at great prices. Service is always good and the shop itself is welcoming. I really don't want this place to close because I love it so much. Please support small businesses and come here instead of Vromans across the street.

I came here to sell a number of unneeded books that were gathering dust on my bookshelves. Call first to check if the book buyers, Rich and Ted, are in the store. Ted tends to be in the store in the morning, and Rich tends to be around in the evening, but if neither are around then you can't sell your books here. I brought ~30 books, and it took about 20 minutes for them to make me an offer on ~10 books. They generally don't take textbooks. I took cash for my books, but they also offer store credit. I didn't ask about the latter, so I don't know how it compares to their cash offer. I also don't know if you can try to negotiate for more than they offer; in principal it seems you should be able to do so. The staff was friendly and helpful. The store itself was small and packed full of books on a wide range of topics, including art, math, travel, poetry, and fiction. They also had a small selection of vinyls. The prices seemed reasonable. Street parking only.

I hate the common attitude that boys don't read! Like hell I don't! My mighty book collection and my obsessive excitement over used bookstores sez otherwise! And I just happen to be a five minute drive away from one of the best ones. On a cold Saturday, I was stuck in Hollywood having to deal with bad traffic and though "I gotta get out of this place"! See, I hate South Pasadena, but there are those little places I like and this little store tucked away right by the train tracks was the perfect, cute little den for me to hide in. Yes, they are small and one reviewer says "they got old books", but in fact, they have several great and old books in great shelves toward the ceiling. So I spent a little time looking and exploring and browsing when I noticed a the hip, cool, rad music playing on the radio. It sounded like old Japanese pp music from the 30's. Cool, man! I can dig it! Just made the time spent browsing and carousing more fun. Who every does the book buying here though has sharp taste. Diverse too. Aside from a section like "paranormal romance", I found tons of gold I want t pick up eventually including a Chinese novel, a book on Japanese typography and a book on Fritz Lang. All the prices were good too. Go to a place like Counterpoint and expect to spend all your food stamps there on one book. Finally, I see a Truffaut book that's been long out of print there for a pretty good price and picked that up with what limited funds I had the day. The clerk rang me up quickly and was very polite before I went on my way. Can't think of much better ways to calm myself down on a busy Saturday night.

Walked into this bookstore after a tasty and filling meal across the street at Radhika. What a find! I ended up purchasing six used books and a CD and spent only $39. (One of the books is an oversized coffee table book on Tuscany that retails new for $60. Also picked up the Kite Runner for $3 and a nearly-new Cult CD for $5 or $6.) All of the used books are in terrific condition. Interior is incredibly comfy and the staff encourages shoppers to sit and flip through the books. Funky artwork and jewelry also for sale. If you live in L.A. or San Gabriel Valley you owe to yourself to hop on the Gold Line and exit at Mission in South Pas to experience The Battery Books & Music. Make a day of it and have an Indian meal and/or stop across the street at the coffee/ice cream house. Most of the other shops close around 6 or 7 pm but this bookstore stays open til 11 pm.

Woo hoo! This place is so cool! It seriously reminded me of Korriander's from Neverending Story! There were lots of books in great condition (I bought an autographed book for $18) and I just love spending time in Indie book stores. This place is not at ADA compliant so be aware that you will be bumping into book cases and people. There is actually a nice selection of Children's and Teen materials where you can actually pick up contemporary titles for a great price! I adored the old books/rare books selection because it was just so nice to see they were well preserved with nice book covers to prevent any damage. It look like they have live music fromt ime to time so I bummed we missed that. I can't wait to go back, especially with the coffee house across the street.

Really cool bookstore in downtown South Pasadena. Easy access from the Metro Gold Line- exit at Mission station and walk right. Found this store on yelp mobile while at cliffs bookstore-cliffs prices sky rocketed ( that's another story). They have a really good selection of used books. They didn't have the books I was looking for, but hubby found a book and a vinyl record. We were told by the owner that they have live jazz music some nights. We look forward to going back.

If I know what I want: Amazon. I go to secondhand bookstores to discover. See what floats someone else's boat and see if it works for me. I find excitement in unearthing something that looks hidden. Then sometimes I am inspired by it. The place was a destination for me and my son (9), since we headed out too late in the day to visit museums and still have to pay a fee. We spent a couple hours at The Battery and didn't get bored. The Battery is like a Book Museum. And the price of admission is free! Unless you buy something, because you really like it. And that is reader heaven.

The owner, Rich West, is an open-minded guy with refined and varied tastes; he has put together an eclectic collection of used books, records, and comics -- if you're a collector, you'll find something you need here (I tried to leave three times, but bumped into three more things I had to have...). He also hosts musical events and performances of various kinds. A real gem -- Pasadena should be proud!

Cute little bookstore! It's pretty small but it holds a good variety of books and vinyl

This bookstore is by no means big, but I could get lost in here forever. You can swap, sell, or buy books. The man who ran the store is very helpful without being pushy (a lost art in sales, if you ask me). The prices are amazing and the selection is rather diverse, despite it being a small store. Yes, they're used books but they're not in bad condition. They have amazing art books, an extensive philosophy section, old school kids books, and even those popular teenage page-turners. Bonus? They play awesome music and have an eclectic mix of LPs in the back of the store. I need to come back, when I have some time, and get lost in this South Pasadena gem.

I spent $100 here on about 15 used books, which I think is a great deal! There were probably at least 30 more books that I wanted but had to put back on the shelf so I didn't spend my rent money. They have a good selection and a few surprise finds :) I shall return for another trip through the shelves soon!

Great selection! Went in to browse and came out with a few books and a number of CDs. Will definitely visit again!

Finally got a chance to peruse this place after it caught my eye a couple of months ago. I was very impressed with what I saw and experienced. The gal running the place (at least today) was genuinely hospitable. I asked if they carried any Neil Gaiman and she enthusiastically pulled out a stack of his work from various sections of the store and additionally made suggestions. We then proceeded to have a lengthy conversation about similar authors, comic books and music. Very down to earth lady. I also found rare editions and early printings for very reasonable prices. Much less than the prices I've seen at other used book stores. I will surely be returning. Most definitely the best book store I've come across in Pasadena.

The Battery is arguably my favorite place in South Pas, rivaled only by a coffee shop down the street. It's pretty small, but packed so full with books. There's just enough room to walk between the aisles, there are so many shelves. The Battery has a wide selection of genres, from poetry to history to math and science to music. You can go in and find almost anything you're looking for. It can seem a little disorganized and overwhelming, but if you just ask someone behind the desk about a particular book or author, they will surely be able to help you. They're very good at knowing what's in the store and where to find it. Another thing I really love about The Battery is their live music. Every once in a while, The Battery hosts local bands in the back of the store. It's really cool to have everyone in there, enjoying the books and music together. Overall, The Battery is a really excellent place. It's full of beautiful old books and records of any genre you could want. Plus, the owners are really cool. They're knowledgeable about their stuff as well as just being generally nice people.

The best used book store in town!! Great super-ultra low prices. GREAT selection!! Awesome rare books. They have books for everyone! If you don't buy your books here. You're a dummy, for wasting your money elsewhere! And the staff is so cool! Check this place out!!!!

Great little used bookstore in Pasadena! Last minute save me, as they are open on the 4th of July. They were super helpful! Looking forward to a return visit with more time.

A real gem. I sometimes stop by this place after a study session at Buster's cafe across the street to treat myself to a cheap sci-fi novella. The prices here are pretty darn good and the books (at least for the sci-fi section) span to relatively recent to first printings of some cool oldies from the 50s. It's organized into genres but you'll have to dig through from that point on, which is fine by me as that's half the fun. The place has a real home-style cozy feel to it and the storekeeper has been very friendly and helpful to me. This is one of the places I look forward to visiting whenever I'm in L.A.