Way, way, way back in the day, I was a free-lance ad writer/fiction writer living in Southern California. And any day of the week, I could go down to Acres of Books, a Long Beach institution, and browse the shelves. I particularly remember the huge, cavernous back room of that used bookstore that would (or probably should have!) been closed by the Fire Dept. It was also rumored that Ray Bradbury would occasionally stop in to browse too, but I never saw him there. Apparently, they kept about 1 million titles in stock at any given moment! And had no air conditioning! What a magical place!!!
Acres of Books was, lamentably, closed down permanently in 2008. {NOTE TO SELF: If I ever get super-rich, I’m going to buy that building and re-open that store!} But it lives on in YouTube videos and the hearts of its old patrons (myself included). But there was, and is, another used bookstore I would go to, not too far down the road: Bookman.
I have also spent time patrolling Bookman, searching for lost classics and just whiling away a solid afternoon browsing their huge collection. Located a few miles away in Orange, Bookman (surprise! surprise!) is now having trouble surviving. In fact, they’re being forced to move (higher rent maybe?) to a new location nearby.
But here’s the good news: They have set up a GoFundMe page to help with the move. This writer has already donated to the move so that we can keep “one of the last true ‘brick and mortar’ used book stores in Orange County” going. 223 people have already joined me, but they are less than half way to meeting their goal. So, PLEASE, PLEASE, consider making a small donation (even $5 will do!) to this worthy cause. And if you have social media accounts, please amplify and spread the word!
This writer will give you a heart-felt “thank you” for your donation and next time I’m at Bookman (fingers crossed), whiling away another afternoon among the books, I’ll know you all are one of the reasons it’s still here.
Until Next Time,
Darius
PS… This article on Ray Bradbury’s last visit to Acres of Books is a real heart-breaker. In fact, I couldn’t read it to the end. But I’m posting here in the hope that you do.
Key quote:
“I can get a complete education in this bookstore. I wouldn’t have to go to a school. All the books that I need, I’d pull off the shelf, one after another, I’d open them up and there I would be. I come to this book store for the revelations of myself and I will find me in this bookstore.”
Inside the Writer's Mind 