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| Malik Books |
Book lovers rejoice! There are independent bookstores across Los Angeles that are focused on a wide range of literary genres and global cultures. From children's books to cooking to horror, read on for some of the best specialty bookstores in LA.
1) AFRICAN AMERICAN: MALIK BOOKS
3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles 90008View Website
With the closing of Eso Won Books, Malik Books, located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw shopping center, offers the community's best option for an African American literary destination. A second store is located at Westfield Culver City. Malik specializes in books, African American calendars, and African American gifts with an emphasis on cultural diversity.
Malik's Bookmobile is a trailer filled with books to inspire, uplift and educate. The Bookmobile is available as a mobile book fair for local schools, churches and festivals.
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Photo: Hennessey + Ingalls, Facebook
2) ART & ARCHITECTURE: HENNESSEY + INGALLS
300 S Santa Fe Ave, Ste M, Los Angeles 90013213-437-2130
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Founded in 1963, Hennessey + Ingalls has grown to become the largest art, architecture and design bookstore in the western United States. After more than 50 years on the Westside, in February 2016 Hennessey + Ingalls moved into the sprawling One Santa Fe complex in the Arts District of Downtown L.A. The family-owned store is managed by founder Reginald Hennessey's son, Mark.
Hennessey + Ingalls is renowned for their curated selection of books in art and art history, all phases of architecture, photography, interior design, graphic design, and landscaping. Top art directors in film, television, and advertising shop at Hennessey + Ingalls because of the in-depth collections and the knowledge of the staff. Clients include many of the country's leading architectural firms, along with museums, collectors, art galleries, students, interior designers, graphic design firms, and schools.
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| Mista Cookie Jar at Children's Book World Instagram by @andrewbarkan |
3) CHILDREN'S BOOK WORLD
10580 1/2 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles 90064310-559-2665
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Opened in 1986, Children's Book World caters to a wide-ranging Westside clientele of children, parents, teachers and collectors. Along with an inventory of more than 80,000 titles, the store carries a large selection of music, audio books, DVDs, craft and science kits, and educational aids. Books are organized into age groups and the selection covers subjects like LGBTQ and global cultures. The expert staff has a knack for picking just the right book for each child and is experienced with assisting teachers with classroom needs. Check their online event calendar for author signings, Saturday Morning Stories, and off-site events.
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Now Serving at Far East Plaza in Chinatown | Photo: @senor_johnny, Instagram
4) COOKING: NOW SERVING
727 N. Broadway, Unit 133, Los Angeles 90012213-395-0627
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Built in 1976, the Far East Plaza in Chinatown has become a must-see culinary destination for a new generation thanks to its collection of old-school eateries and newer hotspots like Howlin' Ray's, Lasita (formery LASA) and Bakers Bench.
Opened in September 2017 on the Hill Street side of Far East Plaza, Now Serving is the brainchild of Ken Concepcion, former chef de cuisine at Wolfgang Puck's CUT, and his wife, Michelle Mungcal. The bookstore carries a mix of new and used cookbooks, with about one-third of the inventory devoted to previously owned or out of print books. The cookbooks are organized in sections - the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Mediterranean, central and northern Europe, pastries and baking, beverages, and general food writing and references. In addition to books, Now Serving offers gourmet kitchen tools like Japanese knives, new and vintage cast iron pans, and chef apparel. Now Serving also hosts frequent author events and book signings.
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| Skylight Books Arts Annex | Photo by Timothy Norris |
5) GRAPHIC NOVELS: SKYLIGHT BOOKS ARTS ANNEX
1814 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles 90027323-660-1175
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One of L.A.'s most acclaimed independent bookstores, Skylight Books is a pillar of its historic Los Feliz neighborhood. Opened on Vermont in 1996, Skylight is owned and run by writers, and award winning actor, Jeffrey Tambor. The frequent author events are an engaging mix of well-known writers and emerging talent.
In 2008, Skylight opened its Arts Annex in the adjacent liquor store. The Annex then moved into the former Colonial Drugs one space over. Though it's not an actual comic book store like Secret Headquarters or Meltdown Comics, the Annex is well-known for its thoughtful selection of graphic novels and comics. As with the main store, the knowledgeable and helpful staff at the Annex is always ready to recommend zines and mini-comics created by local artists - the epitome of the "shop local" ethos.
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