Modern high-tech naysayers have predicted for decades that printed books will become obsolete. Yet, they still sell by the millions. And, in a small enclave, two hours northwest of Los Angeles, a unique bookshop has thrived for six decades. Loomed over by the Topatopa Mountains and surrounded by orange, lemon, and olive groves is Ojai, California (pronounced oh-hi)—population around 8,000—a town that boasts the largest open-air bookshop in the world.
Though Bart’s Books has been featured in notable publications, newspapers, and documentaries, its presence is unassuming on the quiet, quaint streets of Ojai. Park on the side of one of the main streets, and there it is: a modest, flat-metal-roof brick building with a courtyard and countless bookcases. With a few palm trees emerging from an open spot in the courtyard and plenty of healthy, mature plants growing around the structure, Bart’s Books has been a fixture at West Matilija Street for generations.
