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Soup to Nuts? Vroman's to Buy Beloved West Hollywood Bookshop
The start of 2009 brought with it sad news for friends and fans of Book Soup, the much-cherished bookstore located on the vibrant Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, when its longtime owner Glenn Goldman passed away just a day after putting the shop on the market.
The future of one of the few remaining, and thriving, independent bookstores--home to an endless supply of engaging author readings and events--seemed tenuous for some time, as speculators wondered if our economy and the big-box retail modus operandi would leave much room for the little guy with the big heart. Now, however, comes word that perennial shoppers' favorite, Pasadena-based Vroman's, is poised to take over operations of Book Soup.
A representative from Vroman's, who, incidentally, has been in the business of selling books for 115 years, told the LA Times that the deal had been in discussion since prior to Goldman's death, adding: "There is an authenticity to what Book Soup is that we intend on honoring. We would be crazy to do this otherwise."