Swan’s Fine Books

Swan’s is a newly opened used/​antiquarian retail bookshop, in Walnut Creek! When was the last time anyone did this in Eastern Contra Costa County?!! Wow.
Their stock includes mid– to upper-​middle range used collectible books in excellent condition, with some really interesting high end antiquarian material (the kind that’s hardly ever seen in open suburban stores). The shop is clean, classy and nicely set up.
At a time when brick & mortar bookselling generally is under terrific pressure, Walnut Creek is lucky to have this place. May they prosper and endure.

Pros: this is a little gem shop owned by a sweet couple. It is like a museum of classic books, first editions, and signed books. They have cool selections like the first edition Lord of the Rings, Tom Sawyer, and the Prince just to name a few (worth thousands of dollars!). The books are divided into categories with lots of books to uncover! I found a few gems like a Disney art book for $ 25 with other more affordable books available as well.
Cons: it is a smaller shop which comes with its inherent challenges of storing less stuff though there is still plenty to see. Also could be difficult to find as it is tucked away near this yoga place.
Overall: if you like bookstores, you have to check this place out! Highly recommended.

Swan’s fine books certainly are. mostly, they are used books in excellent condition–
the kind collectors look for. thus, they are priced accordingly,
books are separated by categories. the gent at the front gladly showed where the economics section was. books all vintage, no recent editions.
book collectors will be enthused with Swan’s.
–located in the rear of a building on Locust St.

Many have already spoken about the books, which are wonderfully culled and displayed. I want to add that Laurelle Swan, the owner, is also fantastic. She is helpful and approachable while at the same time allows one to browse uninterrupted for hours (in my case). I drove from Richmond just to come here and was so glad I did. Make the trip. It’s worth it.

As has been mentioned — long years have passed with no second hand book shop in Walnut Creek. When we moved here 12 years ago there were at least 3 all of which have closed. My husband and I wandering the town on a summer night and spotting the placard Swan’s Fine Books has placed curb side along Locust St. proclaiming «Books» was like finding water in a desert!
This quiet oasis tucked away in a peaceful corner seems small at first, but actually stretches into well laid out nooks and comfortable spaces perfect for browsing for treasures. The books are all hardback, in beautiful condition, and range from inexpensive old standby’s to spendy, rare signed first editions that any collector would be proud to have. Laurelle, the owner, will also help you sleuth out books you haven’t been able to find using her connections.
I enjoy the focus on local books, as well as on modern classics.
My husband and I have attended a few of the special events they’ve organized and have enjoyed them immensely. I worried I’d feel pressured to make purchases at these, but never felt anything but welcome. Their choice of snacks and wines never disappoints, and I always walk away having learned something (& usually with a new book to add to my shelves!).
Please do yourself the favor of stopping by and spending some refreshing time browsing the well-​stocked shelves here — you won’t be sorry :)

I first found Swan’s by accident while walking down Locust Street, but it soon became one of my favorite bookstores. They specialize mostly in very nice editions of books, usually leather-​bound or cloth-​bound. They have some books that are very old or signed by famous authors, including some truly extraordinary books behind glass cases. But they also have nice editions for as little as $ 20, which is great for people like me who enjoy books that look nice but who also are not very concerned with collector value.
The store has a great ambiance, and it’s very quiet for being so close to a busy street. Walking in, you feel like you are a world away from everything else and you can just roam the shelves in peace. You can also sign up to get on their mailing list so that you can attend events they throw: talks about different classic authors, the classics book club, or talks about collecting– all paired with wine, of course.
I really enjoy this store! I realize fine books must be a bit of a niche market but I hope it sticks around for a long, long time.

My best friend, a local from Pinole, took me here this summer as a place he loves to stop by and enjoy reading, and he said it was a favorite of his, and hoped that I would like it also to become my favorite. I am a sucker for good books, wherever they are. Sure you probably could fit all the books here in a 2TB external drive but there is something to be said for actually holding a book and enjoying it. I spent a good hour and a half reading; my friend went to get some coffee, and returned to get me back. As it were, I did not have my wallet as I had left it in the car, so I asked my friend to lend me $ 20, which was promptly spent on 2 used books, one in business law and the other on administrative law. No I am not a lawyer; I do want to go to heaven some day. As for my friend now incurring an IOU, well that’s what you get for setting me loose inside a bookstore.

I was looking for a few old first edition books and was told this is a good place to try. After a phone call, the owners quickly gave me a bunch of different options even though they only had one book I was looking for. I went there to pick up my book and was suprised at how good condition it was in. The owners were really happy to help and went above and beyond by giving me tips when searching for books online. They even put a fresh dust jacket cover on my book to protect it. The customer service is why I will return. The store is fun to checkout too, plenty of classic and collectible books.

Swan’s Fine Books is a little hard to find, as it’s set back from Locust and behind the Yoga Studio. I was first greeted by a couple book shelves outside, featuring a nice selection of inexpensive books. Inside are the special book cases with collectors items that are priced accordingly. In between are handsomely appointed sections of which every book seems to be individually loved and chosen.
At some point, I almost felt that I was in a museum, as I browsed the stacks and weighed my literary options and available space on my own library. Swan’s Fine Books is also the kind of place to return time and time again, as there are many layers to this scholarly onion.

While walking in downtown WC today, I had the luck to come across Swan’s Fine Books. I was surprised to see an independent bookstore in WC after the loss of Bonanza Books and Swan’s was a welcome sight. The store space itself is very attractively laid out and well organized and, as other reviewers have noted, the owner is very personable and knowledgeable, as would be expected in a fine bookstore.
The selection of books related to California and Western history is very good, but Swan’s covers all bases by having some selection of books in nearly every genre one could imagine. And, in my layman’s opinion, the selection has been very well curated, with a solid representation of titles one would expect to see, sprinkled with very many unexpected treasures. Of course, Swan’s offers a variety of first editions, as well as books signed by their authors.
Another strong point in Swan’s favor is that it offers a very balanced range of prices, such that no shopper will go home disappointed because all the books s/​he wanted were too expensive. There are many books offered at a reasonable price, and all are gems.
One of my favorite fine bookstores is Argonaut Books in the City and I would compare Swan’s to that acclaimed store very favorably. We are fortunate to have Swan’s here in CoCoCounty and I would encourage any and all to patronize Swan’s so that it will remain here for many years to come — I am certainly looking forward to my next visit.

My wife and I stumbled on Swan’s on our last visit to Walnut Creek after lunch at Lark Creek Restaurant. We met the proprietor Laurelle Swan and we spent an amazing hour discussing our shared love of books and some of the finds in the store. Laurelle’s husband took some time and showed me some books of interest. We bought some terrific books and Laurelle subsequently found a hard to find book I was looking for. This bookstore is worth a special trip for any book lover. This bookstore is especially welcome after the demise of Clayton Books. Thanks Laurelle!!!

What a lovely find! When browsing for a book has become as personal as a google search, Swan’s offers the antitdote to Amazon. My husband and son and I stumbled into this new book shop, around the corner from Peet’s in downtown Walnut Creek today. Welcomed by Laurelle, the owner, and Bob Dylan on Pandora radio, we instantly knew we had stepped into a bibliophie’s dream, not an anonymous ‘retail outlet.’
It offers rare used books and is the perfect place to find a gift when strolling along Walnut Creek’s shopping district. What a lovely place to spend an afternoon, browsing!