Nestled in the vibrant Retro Row neighborhood on Fourth Street is a bookstore that invites people to toss out conventions and judge books by their cover, leaning into whatever calls to them upon first glance.
Bel Canto Books, owned by Jhoanna Belfer, is a Filipina-owned shop that seeks to celebrate the works of authors of all backgrounds. The books sold are hand-curated by Belfer, who understands the importance of representation.
“I choose to highlight books by authors you might not see otherwise,” Belfer said. “Books (on the shelves) are faced out because, as humans, we’re wired to seek out visual things. Representation matters and I want people to feel seen when they shop.”
The space is bright and airy with an essence of whimsy that encourages shoppers to indulge in the pleasure of discovery, taking in the experience one section at a time as they browse titles written by authors of various ethnic backgrounds.
The idea for Bel Canto Books came to Belfer during the 2016 election, a time when many had their foundations shaken by the state of the country.
“It had me reconsidering what my legacy was going to be,” Belfer said. “I wanted to find something meaningful and purposeful.”
With a background as a hospitality executive, Belfer began exploring the idea of marrying her skill set with her love for reading and community building.
In 2018, after having held her first pop-up book sale, Belfer contemplated the question that all business owners should consider, “what is the problem you’re trying to solve?”
“That’s where the idea for a non-traditional book club came from,” Belfer said. “There are people who like the social aspect of a book club but may not always like the book that’s chosen.”
Belfer set up a system where people could purchase tickets to attend a book club meetup and they would be given a book that she hand-picked for each guest to ensure they’d enjoy what they read.
With the success of her pop-ups and the book club, Belfer decided to quit her corporate job in 2019 and pursue Bel Canto as a more serious venture.
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bel Canto Books had the opportunity to sell in the Hangout on 4th Street, which has since shuttered.
With the lockdown in full effect, Belfer saw an opportunity to pivot and set her sights on offering yet another solution to a problem. With people unable to shop in-store, Belfer brought the bookstore to their homes.
“I became like a book concierge,” Belfer said. “People would set their price, what they were willing to spend, and I would hand select books for them based on their survey answers.”
Soon after, Bel Canto’s online presence boomed due in part to the community of regulars who constantly showed their support in addition to other local business owners who have supported Belfer along the way.
The opening of its first brick-and-mortar location on 4th Street earlier this year marks a major milestone for Bel Canto Books. Still, community involvement remains a major aspect of the work that Belfer and her team does.
So when Long Beach City College’s English Majors and Minors Club (EMMC) reached out on social media for an opportunity to collaborate, it was a no-brainer for Belfer.
“What I really liked about Bel Canto was (that) they’re owned by a POC woman and I’m a POC woman in the club,” EMMC member Areli Chavez said.
This led to Chavez reaching out to Bel Canto about a collaboration.
Bel Canto Books was on campus on Friday to support the EMMC at the Creative Book Fair during which affordable books were for sale and attendees were able to sit in on author panels.
For those who couldn’t make it to the book fair, Bel Canto Books has a large presence in Long Beach with multiple ways to shop.
Find them on 4th Street, KUBO in Bixby Knolls and Steel Cup Cafe.