Discover Burbank's Autobooks-Aerobooks: A Gearhead's Literary Paradise

Nestled on a humble strip in Burbank, California, Autobooks-Aerobooks isn’t just any bookstore—it's a treasure trove for gearheads and a throwback to a time when every piece of knowledge wasn’t at our fingertips. Here, in a world dominated by digital, you can find the kind of car and aviation books that you won't even find on Amazon.

While Amazon was busy selling over 300 million books last year, Autobooks-Aerobooks specializes in the rare, the nostalgic, and the ultra-specific—like that hot-rod manual "4-Bangers! And Me!" or "Pegaso por Monsalve," a gorgeous tribute to Spain’s top sports car. This place has carved out its niche by offering something Amazon can’t: a deep dive into automotive literature that’s almost extinct elsewhere.

The store's owners, Tina Van Curen and her husband, Chuck Forward, bought the place in 2007, but its roots stretch back to 1951. Tina, a Pasadena native and lifelong car enthusiast, used to run the Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Southern California, while Chuck, a retired aerospace engineer, leads the local Citroën group. Their passion for cars isn’t just business—it's personal.

The store itself is a bit of a time capsule. Imagine 2200 square feet packed with everything from glossy window displays showcasing the latest on the GT-R, to shelves heavy with memoirs, manuals, and biographies of racing legends. There’s even a section that feels like a vintage magazine rack straight out of 1995. And at the back? A glass case that houses the real gems like limited-edition collectibles and rare finds.

When Tina and Chuck took over, they expanded the store’s collection significantly. “Initially, the European-car section was just a few books on Jaguars and Ferraris,” Tina recalls. “Now, it’s grown to include everything from Panhards to Bizzarrinis, and yes, we’ve still got plenty of Mustang and Camaro books too.”

It’s not just the books that make Autobooks-Aerobooks special—it’s the history. The stretch of Magnolia Boulevard where it sits was once buzzing with hot-rod shops in the heyday of car culture in the 1940s to 1960s. Harry Morrow, the store’s founder, even held the keys to nearby Willow Springs Raceway. “You’d stop by here, chat about cars, grab the key, and then go test your ride,” Chuck explains.

Over the decades, this little store has seen its share of celebrities, from Jay Leno to Steve McQueen, who, according to Chuck, spent hours "bench racing" (or swapping stories) right on this very floor.

Autobooks-Aerobooks remains a uniquely Californian icon, a community staple for those who still appreciate holding a piece of automotive history in their hands. It's a reminder that in an era where you can get almost anything with a click, there’s still something magical about flipping through the pages of a book, surrounded by the smell of ink and paper, in a place where every book has a story waiting to be told.