The Last Bookstore is an independent bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles that was called, by Conde Nast Traveler, California’s largest new and used bookstore. [1][2]
The store was founded in 2005 by Josh Spencer. The first incarnation was a downtown Los Angeles loft. They sold books and other things online only, then focused on books, opened a small bookstore in December 2009 on 4th and Main streets. They moved to the current incarnation in the Spring Arts Tower at 5th and Spring streets on June 3, 2011. The store is 22,000 square feet. The current store is in a former bank with books on two levels, including the former vault. [1][2]
Media
Filmmaker Chad Howitt chronicled the store and its owner, Spencer, in an 11-minute documentary titled 'Welcome to the Last Bookstore' (embedded below), released in 2016. It tells the story of how Spencer was injured as a young man and lost the use of his legs, forcing him to re-examine his life. Los Angeles Film Review called the effort an "ode to resilience."
References
- The Last Bookstore, wikipedia.org
- The Last Bookstore, lastbookstorela.com