The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, But First In Our Hearts

If The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles indeed winds up as L.A.'s last bookstore, well, at least it's worthy.

The store, run by Josh Spencer, recently moved into a new 10,000-square foot home at the corner of 5th and Spring in downtown's Historic Core. And it's quite a welcome addition to what has become a lively, thriving example of Downtown's comeback.

With my sisters visiting from out of town, we decided to take them downtown on Sunday afternoon and visit the new store. (After a quick stop at CoffeeBar, located down the street on Spring, for a snack and some java.)

The brand-new location lived up to the hype. Now housed in the historic Spring Arts Tower (next door to the Crocker Club), the Last Bookstore is housed in what was once the lobby to the Citizens National Bank. The ceiling is still intact, the bank vault is still there... but the floor is now filled with shelves and shelves of affordable used books.

And that's the big draw -- unlike many used book stores, the product at The Last Bookstore is priced to move. We picked up several children's books, all priced at $1 or $2, for the Blogger Boys. If there was one disappointment, it was the Last Bookstore's paltry collection of Los Angeles-themed books. But with the shelves constantly being refreshed, I'm sure new ones are on the way.

The Last Bookstore is a great way to spend an afternoon in Downtown -- and I'm even impressed by the store's lengthy hours of operation: Until 10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. (The store closes at 5 p.m. on Sundays.)

The Last Bookstore
453 S. Spring St.
Ground Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013

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