Welcome
A New Bookshop Space in the Heart of Long Beach's Retro Row!
Welcome to Bel Canto Books, a proudly woman- and BIPOC- owned independent bookstore based in Long Beach, California!
Founded by Jhoanna Belfer, a Filipina-American poet and former hospitality executive, Bel Canto Books offers a curated selection of fiction, nonfiction and children's books, organized around a theme of the month, in particular celebrating books by women and people of color.
Please visit our Events & Classes page to learn about author events, workshops, Storytime and more!
Learn about our store- and community-led Book Clubs, including our Book Of The Month Club based on the theme of the month!
We offer a book concierge program for personalized book recommendations,
as well as book ordering through our partners at Bookshop.org and Libro.fm. And please make sure you're signed up for our newsletter which has the latest on upcoming events, what we're reading and other fun book news.
If you'd like to be considered for an author event, either in-person or virtually, at Bel Canto Books, please complete our Event Inquiry Form.
We hope you stay safe and let's keep reading!
XXOO Jhoanna, Avowed Booknerd & Owner/Manager
Est. 2018
Bel Canto Books started as a monthly pop-up book club in 2018 and moved into a brick-and-mortar space inside The Hangout (2122 E 4th Street in Long Beach) in November 2019.
We also host a pop-up bookstore inside Steel Cup Cafe (2201 N Lakewood Blvd in Long Beach) with our monthly bookclub picks and our featured books of the month.
See our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) by clicking the button below.
Visit us in person
See You at the Bookstore!
Visit our 4th Street location inside The Hangout (2122 E 4th St, Long Beach CA)
Open Tuesday - Sunday 11am to 7pm
Here’s a few tips to help make your visit to our 4th Street location a success:
- Mask-wearing + physical distancing are a must!
- We are in a busy shopping district, so come early if you’re nervous about parking or crowds.
- Paid street parking available on 4th St (use Passport app for easy meter payment).
- Paid parking lots available at Cherry and 4th and at 431 St. Louis (behind the Art Theatre).
Make a day of your Bel Canto Books outing!
- Recommended eateries w/in walking distance: Portfolio (coffee shop), Gusto (bakery), Wide Eyes Open Palms (bakery/cafe), The Socialist (American), La Tarantella (Italian), and Oh La Vache (cheese shop/sandwiches).
- Some of our favorite 4th St shops: Page Against The Machine (activist bookstore), Native Sol (vintage/lifestyle), Alien Artifacts (vintage/gifts), Pigeon's (roller skate shop), Songbird (gifts/novelty), and Casa De Luxe (vintage).
Visit our Bellflower location inside Steel Cup Cafe (2201 N Lakewood Blvd, Long Beach CA)
Open Tuesday - Sunday 7am to 4pm
Free parking in lot
Bel Canto Books at The Hangout in Retro Row on 4th Street in Long Beach
In the news
Spreading the Book Love + Standing Up for our Community
Thank you to all our media partners for uplifting our indie bookstore and mission!
Mental Floss: "16 Must-Visit Indie Bookstores Owned by Writers"
LitHub: "An Illustrated Tour of Some of North America’s Beloved, Diverse Indie Bookstores"
Vox: "3 lessons on building more than a business"
Forbes: "Asian-American Authors, Instagram Users And Bookseller Launch Stand Up For AAPI Campaign"
Publishers Weekly: "AAPI Authors, Bookstagrammers Organize Support Campaign"
Good Housekeeping: "40+ Asian-Owned Businesses to Support Right Now"
BookRiot: "11 AAPI-OWNED BOOKSTORES AND THE BOOKS THEY RECOMMEND"
Los Angeles Review of Books: "Bel Canto Books in Long Beach, CA"
Medium: Boxed Out: 4 Bookstores in L.A. During COVID-19
Spectrum News: "Small Business Owner Prays and Prepares for Holiday Rush"
VoyageLA: "Meet Jhoanna Belfer of Bel Canto Books in Long Beach"
Long Beach Post: "Book whisperer Jhoanna Belfer knows what you should read next; just ask"
Shelf Awareness: "Bel Canto Books Opens in Long Beach, Calif."
our mission
Joy. Creativity. Curiosity.
Spreading the Love of Reading
Spreading the Love of Reading
It all starts with a story…how a great book captivates and enlivens us, how the fairytales our families share spark our sense of wonder and love of creativity, how we first learn to explore and dream and fly in the pages of our favorite books.
Spreading the Love of Reading
Spreading the Love of Reading
Spreading the Love of Reading
Our mission at Bel Canto Books is to foster joy, creativity and curiosity, one book, one connection at a time. As a woman- and BIPOC-owned bookstore, we take special pride in uplifting the work of historically marginalized authors and artists.
Follow Our Journey
Spreading the Love of Reading
Follow Our Journey
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on upcoming events, what we're reading now,
and our journey as a small business owner!
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Welcome to Bel Canto Books!
To stay informed about book clubs, author events, store news,
and more, please sign up for our newsletter.