The Last Bookstore of LA

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The Last Bookstore of LA is an eclectic independent bookstore that houses a great selection of newly released books, used novels, music records, local art, miscellaneous repurposed vintage wares and yarn. For Los Angeles locals, the venue is also a wonderful destination place because the Last Bookstore of LA often hosts events by way of book signings, art gallery receptions, and fashion-inspired gatherings.

Many people I know are drawn to The Last Bookstore of LA to experience the Labyrinth, a portion of the store’s Second Floor housing interesting, yet affordable, used books, all displayed in an artistic, non-conventional way.

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The south side of the store’s Second Floor also houses various art gallery walls (showcasing local artists’ works on a rotating basis) and a few fine artists-in-residence’s work spaces (including their finished and works-in-progress). There are also gift shops that sell either new interior design items (posters, flower vases, lighting) or repurposed vintage items for decorative purposes.

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What? There’s a yarn store and a yarn art gallery space, too? Must. Show. Restraint.

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For this Los Angeles local, various aspects to the store’s interior, such as the reimagining of the former bank’s giant vaults (now housing niche book genres such as horror and vintage classic books) and the restoration of the beautiful vaulted ceilings, support columns, and other interior details of the time the building was first built, are the reasons to come here.

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The First Floor of The Last Bookstore of LA is also interesting. Here, you will find most of the newly released books and miscellaneous literature-based artwork for sale.

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The store also had a decent amount of used records to peruse on the First Floor. I especially loved how the space purposefully presented the records in such a way that would draw customers of all generations into the room (like my streaming music loving kids and my LP loving self).

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Interesting items are on display for the kids to enjoy while parents like me lose themselves in the Music Section of the store.

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There are also First Edition books on the First Floor, all ready for people to purchase if you are so inclined.

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Oops, there are store signs everywhere, reminding visitors that there is more to see in Downtown Los Angeles, so to please respect the space and its contents. Time to buy something!

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I appreciate how used books have been repurposed to add to the whimsical decor of the bookstore. How about this awesome Check Out Counter?

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What about the sea of books enveloping your senses from above as you await your turn to purchase a book?

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As we leave The Last Bookstore of LA, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the local farmers at Sunday’s Farmer’s Market haven’t packed up their produce yet. Time for lunch, kiddies.

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The Last Bookstore of LA
453 South Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-488-0599
lastbookstorela.com

© Copyright 2012-2016 by Deborah Kuzma, californianative.com and californianativeblog.wordpress.com. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Deborah Kuzma, californianative.com and californianativeblog.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

2 thoughts on “The Last Bookstore of LA

  1. Had to share w/my writers group via email. Can u fb this? Really really good. I want to visit this place. Hugs,

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

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