Once Upon A Time

Founded in 1966, this bookstore has been a magical place for thousands of children and adults alike throughout the years. In April 2003, the Palacios family, by way of our then 9-year old daughter Jessica’s letter-to–the-editor, bought the business from founder Jane Humphrey. In 2008, Publisher's Weekly announced that Once Upon a Time was the nation's oldest children's bookstore. We are proud to be independent booksellers, with a unique combination of superb customer service and fast special order fulfillment. One of our strengths, besides our store's obvious charming ambiance, is our book selection: we continue to carry only QUALITY children’s books and an intelligently curated choice of books for the entire family.  With an open heart, we have built a community-based neighborhood store that spurs imagination, whimsy, and a passion for reading. There's more to a bookstore than the books on the shelves. When you buy a book or other merchandise from Once Upon a Time, part of the price you pay goes to: •Support our friendly, hardworking, knowledgeable staff •Support local schools, teachers & librarians •Support dozens of local, national & international charities and service organizations No part of the price you pay goes to: •Remote corporate headquarters where decisions are based solely on maximizing profits •Absentee owners who don't work in the store or live in the community At Once Upon a Time we are dedicated to doing business as a responsible member of our community. When you shop at Once Upon a Time, you join with us in building community. Our store’s location, 2207 Honolulu, is nestled next to mouth-watering Zeke’s BBQ at the east end of Honolulu Avenue in Montrose Shopping Park by Verdugo to experience all our store’s delights and while you are here – visit our neighbors for a bite! Once Upon a Time Bookstore -- an independent community bookstore for the entire family