This week, I have been one of the scores of L.A. folks wailing -- at various degrees of volume -- about Dutton's Brentwood's imminent closing. Dutton's is far away -- Brentwood -- but I have made the drive from Echo Park on a zillion occasions. And I always walked out with (paid-for) books I'd never heard of until I pulled them off the shelves, more or less at random. I spent a lot of money and time there, and I was hoping to spend more. So, it's been sad. (And who knows? I may never visit Brentwood again.) But then, crazily, today I learn that a new, independent book shop will be opening in Echo Park. Curbed LA reported yesterday that a used and new shop would open in about six months next to the new 826 literary service center on Sunset. Some lesser good news on the heels of bad.

Curbed says:

One of the owners fills us in: "We'll have an emphasis on literature / fiction, local interest, pop culture, design, eco / green living related, some architecture. ... Also, best coffee in the area and good assortment of teas, simple lunch fare (salads, sandwiches, baked goods), and a big selection of greeting cards and paper goods. That's our plan as of now...could change between today and August."

Maybe they'll decide their coffee won't be the best in the area, and they'll have a bad assortment of teas -- or an assortment of bad teas. I'll go anyway. ... Either way, I'll continue to frequent the Edendale Library's used book sales (they have one every Wednesday) -- the hodgepodge is half the pleasure. And August is a long ways off.