Once upon a time, L.A. was the home of many a used bookstore...and many with an east coast/Brooklyn flavor and vibe. Smooth-worn wooden floors....mysterious aisles....dusty first editions. Rare and not so rare. Dark. A place to get lost in for an afternoon. Creaky wooden stairs. Well, these places are now but a memory, as yuppie franchises like Vromans, Skylight, Borders have taken over. The old place in Hollywood was the eptiome of what a used bookstore should be. Everything as stated above and more. As a teenager, I ran into Bukowski there, twice, the latter time he was in heated discussion with the owner as to the merits of Celine. But with gentrification came a huge rise in rents, and they moved to a new location a few miles east to Echo Park . Not as big so they cant put up their entire collection and inventory, fewer ""mysterious"" aisles to while-away an afternoon, but thankfully, still an Indie that survives the onslaught of the gentry. Lots of first editions, and some rarities to be had. Feed your Head!!!
Pros: Their old place was more...picturesque.
Cons: So many books, so little time...
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