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6 Local Shops With Exclusive Offers On Independent Bookstore Day
The Last Bookstore in downtown L.A. (Photo by Jay Edwards via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
This Saturday is going to be a busy day for folks who love to read. Alongside of Free Comic Book Day there's also Independent Bookstore Day taking place on May 2. That means bookstores will be offering deals, giveaways, and holding special events all day.
Up until this year, the event was dubbed California Bookstore Day. Now, it has a new name and has gone national in its second year, with over 400 independent bookstores across the country participating.
Here are some SoCal bookstores getting into the spirit of this holiday:
Skylight Books: Over in Los Feliz, you can get your hands on some limited edition items from authors and artists including Chris Ware, Roxanne Gay, Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, Sherman Alexie and Allie Brosh on Saturday. Get to the bookstore early because it's first come, first serve for these items. The shop is also hosting musical performances that day to celebrate. Starting at 7 p.m., they'll have four bands helmed by their own employees performing: Fragile Gang, Young Jesus, Ukefink and a solo upright bass performance by Jake Rosenzweig.
Skylight Books is located at 1818 N Vermont Ave., Los Feliz, (323) 660-1175
Book Soup: Book Soup in West Hollywood will be doing giveaways, offering refreshments, and selling exclusive items for Independent Bookstore Day. They'll have signed prints from Chris Ware, Allie Brosh of Hyperbole and a Half, and Dav Pilkey of Captain Underpants. You can also get an illustrated map of Huckleberry Finn, among other collectibles.
Book Soup is located at 8818 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 659-3110
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Vroman's: If you head over to Vroman's main bookstore in Pasadena on Saturday, you'll be entertained throughout the day. They'll be serving refreshments, doing giveaways and selling exclusive items. At 10:30 a.m., they're hosting a crafts workshop; at 2 p.m. the Impro Theatre will be performing "Chekov Unscripted"; and at 3 p.m., Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist, will be there. If you introduce the bookstore to a friend for the first time, you'll both get a 20 percent coupon.
Vroman's is located at 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 449-5320
DIESEL, A Bookstore: This bookstore will be featuring two different contests where folks can get the chance to win prizes. There's the Literary Scavenger Hunt for both kids and adults throughout the day, and the best photo posted on Instagram of Independent Bookstore Day accompanied by the hashtag #dieselbrentwood can snag some goodies. They'll also carry limited-edition items like prints from Chris Ware and Dav Pilkey of Captain Underpants.
DIESEL, A Bookstore is located at 225 26th St, Brentwood Country Mart, Santa Monica, (310) 576-9960
Small World Books: This Venice shop will be hosting a "blind date with a book" event, give prizes out, and sell exclusive merchandise and limited-edition posters for the event.
Small World Books is located at 1407 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, (310) 399-2360
The Last Bookstore: If you bring a buddy with you who's never been to the Last Bookstore before, you can enter to win a $20 gift card. All you have to do is take a snapshot there, post it on Instagram and use the #BookstoreDayatTLB to enter.
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The Last Bookstore is located at 453 S Spring St., downtown L.A., (213) 488-0599
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