City Lights is a three-story independent bookstore located in North Beach. It is an important part of the beatnik movement that has occurred in this part of the city, as it was co-founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

This was the nation's first all-paperback bookstore, although they carry hardbacks currently.

City Lights also operates a press/publishing company.

Check out the labeled card-boxes before the stairs leading to the top floor. They are a sort of "classifieds" section, containing "housing wanted," "musicians needed," resumes and the like.