{"id":499495,"date":"2026-10-17T19:16:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T19:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/499495\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T19:16:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T19:16:15","slug":"south-pasadena-finally-has-a-bookstore-step-inside-outpost-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/499495\/","title":{"rendered":"South Pasadena finally has a bookstore. Step inside Outpost Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tucked away between a massage spa and pet wash on Fair Oaks Avenue is South Pasadena\u2019s only new and used independent bookstore.<\/p>\n

Outpost Books opened in September. And the name sets the tone for the just-under-1,000-square-foot space.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted it to feel obviously cozy [like] a bookstore,\u201d said owner Nicole Novembrino. But also \u201clike a trading post, where you just stop along the road, and there’s stuff everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Filled<\/p>\n

The back of the shop’s tiny “Kids Corral” where Outpost Books plans to have weekly story readings.<\/p>\n

Inside, custom corral doors open to a mural of a desert sunset. Hand-drawn signs guide you to each genre. Novembrino selects the books herself, from bestsellers to history books, including those that honor Route 66 \u2014 which Fair Oaks is part of. Some of the used books come from a local retirement home. The stickers for sale are for causes she supports such as keeping national parks public. A donation box to keep wild horses and burros free sits by the cash register.<\/p>\n

How road trips shaped the store<\/p>\n

Novembrino signed the lease in August and spent weekends road-tripping across Arizona gathering art to fill out the space. The western vibe is inspired by her childhood road trips from Southern California to New Mexico, where her mom grew up.<\/p>\n

\"Wooden<\/p>\n

Novembrino got the corral doors custom made from a craftsman in Texas<\/p>\n

Why South Pasadena \u2014 and the rent worry<\/p>\n

Novembrino picked South Pasadena because the city didn\u2019t have a bookstore, but she\u2019s aware of how difficult it is to run a small business. Nearby, longtime children’s toy store Dinosaur Farm said<\/a> in a September social media post a rent hike could lead to the shop shutting down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s the one thing when you own a business is making rent. I hope not to feel that fear, but it’s a very real thing,\u201d Novembrino said.<\/p>\n

\"Assorted<\/p>\n

Novembrino had her fianc\u00e9 designed several of the stickers found in the shop <\/p>\n

A line out the door on opening day<\/p>\n

So far, so good. On opening day, she was shocked to see a long line out the door, having done little outreach and promotion beforehand. Turns out, a South Pasadena social media influencer caught wind of the shop and posted about its grand opening date.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve gotten thank-yous for opening,\u201d Novembrino, who lives in El Sereno, said. \u201cThey’re just excited to have a bookstore. I wasn’t expecting that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Outpost Books is planning for its first events later this season, including kids’ corral storytimes and book clubs. Novembrino is still settling into the dream of finally running a bookshop.<\/p>\n

As for her second dream, that\u2019s opening up a donkey rescue.<\/p>\n