My love of books was instilled in me at a young age. Growing up walking distance from Philadelphia’s Free Library, we made regular trips to pick out books to read. It was one of my favorite things to do. To walk into this massive space filled to the brim with books, each filled cover to cover with stories – the stories written on the pages, and the stories of the people who had read them before me. I always loved looking at the slips with the names of people who loaned the books, wondering who they were and what they were doing now. To this day the smell of old books brings back some of my fondest childhood memories.
Have you ever been to the Last Bookstore?
When in LA a couple of months ago, our west coast intern was showing me around downtown LA, where she had recently moved. We walked inside the bookstore, and my breath caught in my throat. The space is massive – the bottom floor holds a record store, coffee shop, and performance space, with huge columns reaching up through the open atrium to the ceiling. The second story, which wraps around the open atrium, is called the Labyrinth. Artists set up installations in the many little rooms, through which you can wander as time becomes nothing but a distant memory. In addition, the Labyrinth holds a maze of hundreds of thousands of vintage books, all priced at one dollar. If you’re ever in LA, I urge you to check this place out – just give yourself plenty of time.
Follow FP Julia on Twitter.
Such a beautiful post Julia!
This place looks incredible! I work at an indie bookstore in a small country town of 1,000 and, while I love it more than anything, I also enjoy taking a day trip into the city to see some of the used and vintage bookstores.
http://www.northernrustication.blogspot.com
This sounds like Heaven!!! I really really need to visit this book store!
This looks like my absolute perfect place, wish I could visit here someday! I picked up a vintage Singer Sewing book last week in a little second hand bookshop for £1, which seems to have every single process in- who knew there were over 7 ways to put in a sleeve? So many treasures in places like this.
love it.
That place looks heavenly. I would love if you guys did a feature on a summer reading list!
http://www.sunshinedaydreamphotography.com/
Such a wonderful post!!! I love old books too!!! Especially the really old ones with paper yellowed with age, worn bindings and dedications written inside the cover in an elegant script. There is something about reading a story from an actual book, page by page….the electronic versions just don’t have the same sense of authenticity, an actual book is what feels real to me.
The Weaver Of Words…..give me 15 words and I’ll tell you a tale
http://www.averyfairytale.wordpress.com
Oh I seriously love vintage books, lovely photos!
http://juliettelaura.blogspot.com
Thanks for this present which I discovered by your blog early this morning. How good to wake up and find yourself transferred to LA in this wonderful world of books. Love it!!! pity I can’t be there for real, because books, you have to feel. But still, I started my day traveling like a free soul.
soo sooo beautiful!
http://thoseknots.blogspot.co.uk
love love love the last bookstore- truly blessed to live in la! highly encourage everyone who visits to check this place out!
Looks amazing! A true haven in a busy world.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/EarthChildArt?ref=shopsection_shophome_leftnav
Wow! That store looks amazing! Would definitely go there some day :)
A Dream indeed… A destination to mark for the road trips ahead.
p.s. I bet it smells amazing among all the Vintage pages of inspiration :)
This article is worthy of recognition and comment. I found this material attention-grabbing and engrossing. This is well-scripted and highly informative. These views appeal to me. This is how real writing is done. Thank you.
https://www.decorbooks.co.uk
It’s very nice to find out other writers share like minds on some content. This is the case with your article. I really enjoyed this.