Boutiques and other small shops are closing like mad on Montana Avenue and on West 3rd Street, Melrose Avenue and Robertson Boulevard, the L.A. Business Journal observes in a front-page (free) story in this week's issue. On Montana, "about 30 shops have 'sale' signs in their windows...[and] an additional 31 boutiques have closed or are closing." I couldn't help but notice the empty windows over the weekend on 3rd Street, where The Cook's Library is closing at the end of April — store after store vacated despite the foot traffic generated by a few hot spots like Joan's on Third, where my lunch partners spotted Joan Didion. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard also were observed browsing leisurely over Italy guides at Traveler's Bookcase.