BOOK STORES. The wonderful Pickwick Books, which I think became B. Dalton-Pickwick before it began its own slide into something ordinary. I’d never lived within walking distance of any bookstore, let alone a decent one, and Pickwick was the greatest treat.
Its upstairs room, kind of a half-floor mezzanine as I recall, was the site of my first earthquake – just a small routine one - but it was a thrill, coming within my first month or so there, and I was so happy at having experienced it. I told everyone at work about it. Called the family in Ohio. I had arrived.
Sadly, I wasn’t into books in any way similar to the way I am now, or the way I’d like to be, so all of those wonderful stores BK can talk about…well, I remember them (Cherokee Books, the little stores on side streets), but I’m afraid they meant little to me then, and well, that just kills me. (Think of the collection I might have now, if only I’d known…) Later I began to gain some appreciation for secondhand and out-of-print books, and was happy to discover Book City.
There was Larry Edmunds, of course, and I have some books from 1972 with their stamp in them. I was dazzled by all of the film stuff, and though I (FOOLISHLY) didn’t acquire as many things as I should have, (and could have!), I treasure the few one-sheets, lobby cards, and 8x10s bought there for a pittance, much of it Hitchcock. There was also another store – Bennett’s – near the iconic Security Pacific Bank building (first L.A. checking account) at Hollywood and Highland, where I also found a few things.
BK mentioned the Las Palmas newsstand. Loved those, especially the one on Cahuenga with its indoor sections. I think all good newsstands are pretty great places, but those L.A. ones were very special, being my first. Even later in the 80s, anywhere in town I’d drive by one I hadn’t known about, I’d slam on the brakes and get out to browse.
