Octavia’s Bookshelf
Pasadena, California, has a literary space dedicated to Black writers, BIPOC voices, and the readers looking for them. Octavia’s Bookshelf opened on February 18, 2023, and is Pasadena’s only Black-owned bookstore.
The cozy, thoughtfully curated shop reflects owner Nikki High’s belief that her neighborhood deserved a bookstore of its own. She had wanted a space like Octavia’s Bookshelf to exist for years. Eventually, she decided to build it herself.
Meet Nikki High
Nikki High describes herself as an insatiable reader, bookstore owner, and lover of all things handmade. When she is away from the bookstore, she enjoys traveling in search of beautiful fabrics, sewing, and spending time with her husband and their dogs, Dayveon and Freddie.
At the store, one of Nikki’s favorite activities is hand-selling. She enjoys talking with customers about their reading preferences and helping them find books that suit their individual tastes. Those conversations allow her to learn what readers are interested in while guiding them toward stories they may not have discovered on their own.
That personal attention is part of the experience at Octavia’s Bookshelf. Readers can browse a collection selected to celebrate Black writers and their stories while spending time in a bookstore grounded in community.
On the Shelves
As expected, Octavia E. Butler’s work is well represented on the shelves and remains in high demand. Nikki frequently recommends Kindred, Butler’s acclaimed novel connecting a twentieth-century Black woman to the violence of slavery in antebellum Maryland.
Customers also seek out Butler’s other novels and collections, including her Parable and Patternist books, Lilith’s Brood, Fledgling, and Bloodchild and Other Stories.
The continued demand for Butler’s writing speaks to the lasting reach of her work and the importance of bookstores that keep Black speculative fiction visible and accessible to readers.
Support Octavia’s Bookshelf
The simplest way to support Octavia’s Bookshelf is to shop with the store and tell other readers about it. Customers can visit the bookstore at:
1353 N. Hill Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91104
Readers can also shop online through the bookstore’s website and affiliated platforms:
Octavia’s Bookshelf
Follow @octavias_bookshelf on Instagram for store updates, recommendations, events, and other ways to support its work.
Black Bookstore Day™ will be observed on Saturday, August 29, 2026. The annual observance recognizes the history, cultural significance, and continued impact of Black-owned bookstores while honoring those who have created space for Black literature, ideas, culture, and community.
Visit blackbookstoreday.com to learn more.
*Information and media featured in this post were provided by Octavia's Bookshelf, sourced from the organization’s official website and social media channels, and/or obtained from publicly available online sources.
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