The Last Bookstore facts for kids
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| Industry | Specialty retail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Josh Spencer |
| Headquarters |
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United States
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Number of locations
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1 store |
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Area served
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Los Angeles metropolitan area |
| Products | New, used and rare books |
| Owner | Josh Spencer |
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Number of employees
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50+ |
The Last Bookstore is an independent bookstore located at 453 S Spring Street, Downtown Los Angeles. Conde Nast Traveler called it California’s largest new and used bookstore.
History
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.
Vox reported that the store creates visual merchandising through creative displays, which attracts Instagram users, "in the hope of trying to convert Instagram visitors into book purchasers."
Media
Filmmaker Chad Howitt chronicled The Last Bookstore and its owner, Spencer, in a short documentary titled Welcome to the Last Bookstore, 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."
