Founded in 1969, Left Bank Books is the only independently-owned, full-service bookstore in the greater metropolitan area of St. Louis.

Located in the historic Central West End neighborhood, Left Bank Books is situated among magnificent turn-of-the-century residences and some of the best restaurants and finest art galleries in the area.

Left Bank Books has a cultural and progressive political focus. Specialties include: modern literature and poetry, the contemporary art and performing arts scene, political analysis, African-American, feminist, gay and lesbian literature; psychology and high quality, multicultural children's books. Our regular customers come from the immediate neighborhood, the greater metro area, which has a population exceeding 2.5 million people, and the two-state area of Missouri and Illinois. We offer every book in print and a vast used selection online and ship everywhere in the world.

Other features of the store include an extensive used book department and an art gallery featuring nine to twelve shows annually by local artists. We have a variety of discounts for educators and institutions.  We offer a 20% discount on books selected by our registered book groups.

Owners and operators of Left Bank Books have always been intimately involved in community organizations; many are writers or artists. Some have advanced degrees in education, history, or literature. Owner Barry Leibman has a background in history and education and is an abstract/conceptual artist with many solo shows to his credit. Owner Kris Kleindienst has a degree in Women's Studies and English Literature from Washington University is a writer and political activist. She is a board member of the ACLU, and a founding board member of BUILD St. Louis.  She won a Lambda Literary Award for her edited collection of essays, This Is What Lesbian Looks Like: Dyke Activists Take On the 21st Century and writes a monthly column for the Vital Voice.

Some of our current community collaborations include collecting books for CASA and our "Clark Elementary School Reading Project," wherein our customers sponsor thirty-five students at Clark Elementary School who will receive a book a month until the end of the year.

Left Bank Books co-sponsors readings with a host of local literary organizations, including  the St. Louis Public Library and River Styx.

MetroLink Light Rail Information
Just about all you need to know to ride MetroLink to Left Bank Books (or anywhere else). 

We were adopted by a very vocal and insistent kitty a few months after Jamaica's death.  Spike enjoys long naps on the Special Orders desk, dancing for cat treats and shoplifting mouse-sized, furry covered children's books for his own pleasure.