Oakland

Black Swan Books

Used bookstore with a Victorian look and shelves full of vintage (and spendy) volumes frequently from the 1930s and earlier.

Mon-Tue Thu-Sat 11AM-6PM, Sun noon-6PM

Book Tree

Local hole-in-the-wall shop in Montclair Village, densely packed with well-curated books and just disorganized enough to be charming. The owner is friendly and knowledgeable, and the offerings range from classics to recent bestsellers, as well as some quality guides to the local area.

Tue–Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun 10AM–1PM

East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse

Eclectic thrift shop with a focus on art supplies. You'll find typical thrift shop buys like dishes and books as well as extensive arrays of yarn, fabric, magazines, office supplies, tools and all manner of arts and crafts materials. And then there are the more eccentric items: X-ray sheets, dental molds, bottle caps, zippers, old keys, barrels of corks priced by the pound.... Founded in 1979, the Depot is run by a non-profit with the twin goals of reducing community waste and providing low-cost supplies to artists and teachers.

Thu–Sun noon–6PM

European Books and Media

Specialists in books in languages other than English, predominantly French, German and Spanish; selections from many nations.

Wed Thu 3PM-5PM, Sat 10AM-noon

Groove Yard

Old-fashioned record and CD nook - stacked high with boxes of LPs.

Mon-Sat 11AM-6PM, Sun noon-5PM

Jack London Square

JLS's mix of gentrification, working warehouses, and tourism make it a place to find pricey and stylish restaurants that give San Francisco a run for its money. You'll also find some off beat and interesting fusion restaurants, too.

Lakeview Bicycle

Locally owned, friendly no-attitude service and reasonable prices.

Tue-Sat noon-6PM

Marcus Books

A branch of the nation's oldest black-owned bookstore, this continues the long-standing tradition. Shelves full of excellent works from authors of color, posters and a consciousness of black history in both Oakland and the country.

Mon-Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun noon-4PM

Oaklandish

Oakland-themed clothing and other local souvenirs. In addition to its downtown branch, Oaklandish has a branch at 3419 Fruitvale Avenue in the Dimond District and one at 601 Brush Street in West Oakland. Some of their products are also sold at Oakland Airport.

Oaktown Spice Shop

Charming shop with a wide range of high-quality spices, herbs, and seasonings, from standards like sage and oregano to specialty products like long pepper and Cypriot lemon salt. Also has a selection of teas, hot sauces, syrups, and other high-end cooking ingredients. There are samples for you to smell as you peruse the shelves, and the friendly staff can give you recipe cards tailored to specific spices.

10AM–7PM daily

Owl and Company Bookshop

A used bookstore with a somewhat Victorian look, and a focus primarily but not exclusively on psychology, philosophy and the occult.

Sun-Thu 11AM-8PM, Fri Sat 11AM-9PM

Pacific Renaissance Plaza

An apartment complex and shopping center at the heart of Chinatown.

Pegasus Books

Formerly Pendragon Books

Once a friendly neighborhood used book store, now a trendy hipster chain used book store.

10AM-7PM Daily

Pioneer Bike Shop

A friendly little shop near the bustle of Piedmont Ave, that offers full repair service, regardless of how old your bike is, or how much work it needs.

Tue Wed Fri Sat 10AM-5PM, Thu 10AM-6PM

Spectator Bookstore

A small but well-organized used book store that has a variety of subjects available and even sells used DVDs and VHS tapes as well as local postcards.

Daily 11AM-9PM

Spokeland

A not-for-profit DIY bike workshop that also offers classes and programs for cyclists of any level of experience.

Sun 1-6PM, Tue Thu 6PM-9PM

Stranded Records

Neat hole in the wall store with a surprisingly wide selection of vinyl and nothing else.

Daily noon-7PM

Temescal Plaza

A friendly little strip-mall that makes a good starting point for those exploring or navigating the neighborhood.

The Bookmark Bookstore

A nice not-for-profit used bookstore associated with the Oakland Public Library.

Wed-Fri11AM-4PM, Sat, Sun 11AM-5PM

The Ridge

Home to the area's largest Safeway, this shopping center is about halfway between Rockridge and Piedmont Ave. and is frequented by residents from both. Ignore the grim look of the fenced-off parking lot; the mall itself is small but thriving. The Starbucks has nice views of the old quarry nearby.

Tip Top Bike Shop

Friendly full service bike store and repair shop. Service estimates free, appointments available by phone or email. No weekend appointments.

Mon-Fri 10AM-7PM, Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun noon-5PM

Walden Pond Books

A large used book store with friendly staff and an absolutely amazing selection.

Sun-Thu 10AM-9PM, Fri Sat 10AM-10PM

1-2-3-4 Go! Records

Friendly little store with a wide variety of new vinyl.

Daily noon-8PM