James Fugate, co-owner of Leimert Park's venerable Black bookstore, said the storefront is closing at year's end but will stay open online.
Sales have soared at Leimert Park’s Eso Won books over the past few days, as a stream of customers have come in seeking to better understand the historical underpinnings of the current moment.
“Eso Won was where I would discover things that I didn’t know about,” Sonksen said. “It’s a really important stop as a connoisseur of books.” He called it a city “touchstone” and an “iconic” space that captures the heart and soul of L.A.'s literary community. “There are places where people find their identities and find their friends,” he said, “and Eso Won was one of those places.”has bought hundreds of books from the shop. At one point he was visiting the bookstore up to three times a week.Her mother, a high school English teacher, took her to Eso Won’s earlier locations. “She updated her library at school and at home with titles from their shelves,” recalled George in an email. “I’d always raid her bags when she came home.
“James and Tom don’t just sell books, they provide a sense of community,” she said. “They have worked, over all this time, to fill in the gaps especially for Black readers and authors. You’d walk in and you’d just see this bountiful selection and it was exciting to travel through it. ... I always feel rejuvenated after a visit with them.”