Tucked away on the corner of Rosecrans Street is La Playa Books, a locally owned independent bookstore that sells new and used books, located only a mile and a half away from Point Loma Nazarene University. It’s not as big as Warwicks in La Jolla or as flashy as Bookstar in Loma Portal, but it’s a haven for writers, bibliophiles and college students.
After undergoing a major renovation in the spring, La Playa Books is back with a modern look.
Before the renovation, the bookstore had hardly seen any updates since its opening in 1990. The same brown carpet lay over the creaky flooring, and ceiling-length shelves packed with books lined the store in narrow passageways. Amy Hesselink, manager of La Playa Books, said they wanted to make the store feel more modern.
“Our goal was to make [the bookstore] more airy,” Hesselink said. “We wanted it to be open so you can see all the fiction, and so we could have a nice kids area … and we wanted the space more open for our events.”
While La Playa often hosts book clubs in their store, they’re also partners with PLNU in the Visiting Writers Series and annual Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, where they sell books before the events on campus.
“It was cool to go [to La Playa in my first semester] and make the connection that they come to our school and now I’m going to their place,” Sofia Lo Piano, a fourth-year writing major, said.
Hesselink said they do what they can to support PLNU through the Writer’s Symposium, and offer students a 10% discount on all their purchases.
This bookstore sells new and used books and also has an annex of rare books. The average customer may not realize the treasures lying within the store, since they keep their rare books hidden behind a curtain, and entering this area is by appointment only.
Behind the curtain is a bibliophile’s paradise, with shelves lined with books by authors ranging from Ernest Hemingway to Ronald Reagan. Some books are grouped by genre, while others are grouped by editions.
Hesselink said her favorite book in the annex is a journal dating back to the 1900s.
“Somewhere in here, there’s a journal from a woman who traveled overseas on the Queen Mary,” Hesselink said. “It’s an Atlantic crossing journal, and I find that very fascinating.”
La Playa also has a shelf with rare children’s books, which includes a small copy of stories and illustrations from 1853. They have an early reprint of Shakespeare’s “First Folio,” and books dating back to the early 1700s. But the annex has more than just old books; they also have modern fiction books, including first-editions and autographed copies all available for purchase.
Hesselink said that students can call the store to make an appointment or visit on Saturdays when the annex is most likely open to visitors.
Cori McCarthy, a 2024 PLNU alumna, works at La Playa Books. She said she loved going to the store as a student and jumped on the opportunity to work there after college.
“I think it’s important to support bookstores and any kind of independent store because they’re providing for the community,” McCarthy said.
Students can support their local bookstores by making a purchase and donating books. Hesselink said they accept donations of textbooks, as long as they’re in fair condition.
“I’m a huge fan of used books for the same reason I’m a huge fan of thrifting clothes – it’s better for the environment,” Lo Piano said. “I like a book that has some character. There’s something special about opening a brand new book, but I think there’s something way more profound about opening a book that someone else has touched and engaged with.”
Lo Piano said that students should go to local bookstores for the experience, even if they’re not looking for a particular book. She said she oftens walks out with a treasure she didn’t intend to find.
La Playa Books is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They’re located at 1026 Rosecrans Street. You can also purchase books online at LaPlayaBooks.com.
