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Chevalier's Books
Category: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Bookstores Bookstores [Edit]
126 N Larchmont BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90004
Neighborhood: Mid Wilshire
(323) 465-1334
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sat-Sun 9 am - 6 pm
Fri 9 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Sideshow Books specializes in vintage, used and new rare books, magazines, journals and ephemera in the realms of Modern Art, Photography, Crime, Pulp… read more »
17 reviews for Chevalier's Books
Review Highlights
"Gotta support the independent bookstores."
(in 5 reviews)
"Fantastic crew at a neighborhood bookstore."
(in 4 reviews)
"...like the big chains, this place is so much fun to browse."
(in 3 reviews)
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17 reviews in English
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Review from chuck p.
Los Angeles, CA
9/20/2011
Fantastic crew at a neighborhood bookstore. A dream come true. Excellent selection of travel books, and what they didn't have, they ordered and it was in my hot little hands less than a week later. Super helpful and pleasant people make me want to come back for my next purchase.
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Review from Kristyn W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/29/2012
Great smaller bookstore with a lovely attentive staff. You'll find lots of employee recommendations scattered throughout the shelves, and the selection is extremely well edited. My only issue was that the buyer's taste was so close to mine that I already owned half of the books in the shop!
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Review from Darri F.
Los Angeles, CA
1/22/2012
I have to echo Kristine's sentiment that the employees here are the worst kind of book snob. I special ordered a book from them before Christmas, and when I went into the store to pick it up, I decided to grab a book for my grandmother as well. I described her taste to the woman at the register (Nicholas Sparks, Lisa Scottoline) and asked her to recommend something different that would still appeal to the sort of reader my grandmom is. Her response? "I don't know, we're much darker here. Most of our stuff is very dark." I'm sorry, what does that even mean? You only carry books on human sacrifice, genocide, and bonsai kittens? I will say that she pulled a couple books for me to consider, but each time with the caveat "But I mean, this is definitely darker." The thing is, after she wandered off to help some fellow literary savant, I found the perfect book: a British mystery about a woman trying to find her missing sister. Why couldn't she have directed me here without the passive-aggressively judgmental comments? And for the record, as I was browsing, I definitely saw books by Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Piccoult amidst their high-brow selection. As somebody who enjoys YA as much as I enjoy chick lit as much as I enjoy Queneau, I do not understand book snobs. Truly voracious and educated readers can appreciate any genre because they each bring something distinct and valuable to the reader. And THAT is the type of person I want working at my local bookstore.
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Review from Kristine B.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
10/4/2011
I'm all about supporting local/independent bookstores but I will say that I was slightly offended by the lack of professionalism one of the employees had when I asked a question about their store. Without going into details, I was laughed at and made felt like an idiot for the curiosity I had regarding whether or not they carried a particular item I've often found at other book stores and because of it, I will not be returning to this store, nor will I recommend it to any of my friends. I'm a pretty easy going person and rarely have anything negative to say about any businesses, but this definitely ruffled my feathers enough to write my first negative review in the history of my being a member of yelp (going back a few years now). Thanks for broadening my horizon.
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Review from Lolo M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/12/2009
One of the few remaining original Larchmont businesses.
(R.I.P. Larchmont Photo, MRX, La Luna, Larchmont Pharmacy, Hardware store, metered parking).
Two things about me:
never carry cash, very poor gift wrapper.
Two things about Chevalier's:
I still have a charge account there, they gift wrap for free
If they don't have it, they'll order it.
Don't let this magical place go extinct or else I'll make you choose my books for me, wrap my gifts, and let me pay you later. Well, somebody's gotta do it. -
Review from Allie F.
Alhambra, CA
9/18/2006
Looking for a book? Need recommendations about what to read next? Try this quaint little place on Larchmont Blvd. The staff is helpful and their selection is more varied than I originally anticipated. They also have a room solely for kids--books, games, etc.
I don't know if it's considered a "mom & pop" kind of place, but I like to think that I'm supporting a business that truly appreciates its customers and maintains its independence. -
Review from Scott F.
Los Angeles, CA
11/2/2007
Fantastic bookstore, extremely knowledgeable staff. This is exactly the kind of place you'd expect to find on an cutesy little street like Larchmont Blvd. In fact, I'm not entirely sure if they moved in, or if someone saw the little mom & pop bookstore there and just built a shopping district around it. If Chevalier wasn't there, they would have had to invent it.
EXCELLENT and LARGE children's section. Very well-stocked with biographies, good for local interest, good with entertainment books, but only a small selection of genre fiction like mystery and sci-fi.
Four instead of five stars (why can't we do four and a half?) because being a little mom & pop, you're going to be paying more for books here (that is, full price - no 40% off NYT bestsellers here, or mass e-mailed coupons). That said - often I'll buy a book i want here instead of Amazon, just because frankly, the world is a better place with bookstores like this in it. -
Review from Alex J.
Los Angeles, CA
2/25/2008
Cool bookstore. It looks small at first but definitely has quite a few interesting books. I had several moments when I would look at a book and have to remember that I still had some at home I hadn't read yet.
This seems like it would be a great place to buy some children's books too. There was a whole separate room for it. I saw some I read years ago and some that if my cousin was a bit older I would think of showing her. -
Review from Ceci F.
Los Angeles, CA
4/23/2011
love this place.
that's all.
Good people, great local, and good sales. -
Review from Nick O.
Lake Oswego, OR
4/7/2011
Great local bookstore with friendly people ready to help you. It's always a joy for me to find a locally owned business to keep our money in the neighborhood!
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Review from Tere L.
Santa Clarita, CA
1/15/2011
This is THE best bookstore in THE best "hang out" neighborhood. The owners and employees are so friendly and on a first-name basis with many of their customers. Some come in to buy...some to browse...and some simply to say, "Hi!" and chat. Definitely drop by this friendly, feel-good bookstore of yore.
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Review from Lynn C.
3/30/2007
The staff is helpful and friendly, to people AND dogs. They have a cute children's section, too, and everything is laid out nicely.
Listed in: La La La Larchmont
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Review from Eli B.
CA
8/1/2007
They are REALLY nice here and they know their books, but the selection is kind of odd. Still, if you're looking for a particular tome and you're here, stop in. The independent bookseller needs your support...like you didn't know.....
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Review from Ceci V.
Los Angeles, CA
3/14/2009
Gotta support the independent bookstores! Gotta support the non-chain merchants in Larchmont and other 'hoods (Peet's Coffee, Z Pizza, and Village Pizzeria don't count as chains because they haven't yet tried to take over the world ;) I agree the staff is knowledgeable and every time I've gone in they had either exactly what I was looking for or they offered to order it for me and/or suggested something else I might like in its place. I love the clever greeting cards and there is a great selection of kids books. Yes, because they are not a chain, they sell books at full price (except their sale table, which they have out front, and where I have found excellent bargains on more than one occasion). If we want to have real independent bookstores staffed and owned who actually read books, however, this is the price we must pay. Go forth, buy lots of books, and read them!
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Review from quentin c.
Los Angeles, CA
8/3/2009 7 Check-ins Here
if i was looking for a specific book, i'd definitely call to make sure it was available. but, because their selection doesn't overwhelm like the big chains, this place is so much fun to browse. especially if you're open to suggestions. because the employees i've spoken with were all unabashed in their love/knowledge of books. the selection is actually what i expect from one of the few remaining independent book stores and seems to be built around their interests, not publishers (thankfully, my tastes seem to coincide.) i don't know if they're financially stable enough, but if they started a discount club, similar to ones offered by their larger compeititors, i would be able to support them they way i wish i could.
ps- 'out stealing horses' by per petterson lives up to the hype -
Review from Sabrina L.
Los Angeles, CA
6/9/2010
A cute small bookstore on Larchmont. It is very convenient if you live in Hancock park, but overpriced and there is a very limited selection. I just go to browse, then hop in the car and go to Barnes and Noble at the Grove.....
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Review from Jenny S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/23/2009
Readers of the 'hood unite! Support your neighborhood independent bookstore! Huge, anonymous chains have just about gobbled up every independent bookstore around. Chevalier's orders its books by quality, not just quantity. The employees, and the wonderful owner, Sue, are avid and knowledgeable readers and can recommend a book for any age group or interest. If they don't have what you want, they will order it and call you when it comes in. They also sell gift certificates and will gift wrap books.
