I dislike car culture so much, it’s rare for me to actually agree to drive to anything when visiting Los Angeles. Except maybe for Roy Choi‘s Kogi tacos.
And to visit Eso Won Books, a unique and charming bookstore in the historical Leimert Park neighborhood. The store recently made a cameo in an episode of HBO’s Insecure, the L.A.-based series by creator and star Issa Rae, who comments, as her alter ego Issa Dee, “it’s like my favorite place, ever. They support a lot of up-and-coming black writers.”
At Eso Won I was greeted by the affable James Fugate, co-owner of the store with Tom Hamilton, who was behind the register. James had such a wide-ranging opinion of so many interesting reads, I ended up leaving with a pile of books—novels, nonfiction, children’s books—as did some of the family members who accompanied me. Ta-Nehisi Coates has called Eso Won his favorite bookstore in the world—it has something for everyone, including the writer who has done the sad bookstore signing where barely anyone shows up: In 1995 they hosted a young writer with a new memoir, and only about eight people showed; they ended up moving the chairs into a campfire type circle and had a nice intimate chat with the author … Barack Obama reading from his book Dreams from my Father. Obama and Bill Clinton have since done signings at the store (held at an off-site location, since the store is fairly small), as well as Maya Angelou, Misty Copeland, and a variety of local figures.
“It was a good signing,” James remembers. “[Then] in 2006 Obama told Random House that with the Audacity of Hope book he would only do our store.” Although unfortunately, “It was a big event and our co-sponsors didn’t have us listed anywhere or even on stage. Even now the Museum that it was held at says they hosted Obama, but no mention of Eso Won.”
Yet they go on.
I asked them some questions about the store and
The Millions: What was the genesis of this amazing store? Are you the original owners?
James Fugate: We started in 1988, I was working as a bookstore manager for Compton College where I meant Tom Hamilton and third partner, and he’s moved to Maryland. Tom and Asamoa wanted to start a store and I met with them to talk about it.
They passed on starting a store, as I thought it would be very hard to generate business, but as the manager of the Compton College Bookstore I had developed a great selection of Black books as general reading material for the students and I was being asked to come to various community functions to sell books on the weekends. The bookstore was run by Barnes and Noble’s college division and I felt very uncomfortable coming to Black community functions and representing Barnes and Noble. So I came up with the idea of selling on my own with Tom and Asamoa on the weekends.
Tom and Asamoa had the seed money to start buying the books and I had the ordering knowledge to put the concept together.
TM: What does Eso Won mean?
JF: Eso Won means Water over Rocks. Asamoa and his wife had visited Aswan, Egypt, and the African name is said to be Eso Won. We had the saying for some time that as water flows over rocks, so does knowledge flow through books.
TM: Who are your main clientele?
JF: Our customers come from Central L.A. for the most part, mainly where most Black people live. But we also draw from all over the city. We were able to benefit from many many L.A. Times stories, plus amazing book signings.
TM: What do you like most about being a bookseller? What’s the most surprising thing?
JF: For me the most surprising thing about being a bookstore is meeting customers who love your suggestions. I love talking about books that really move me and seeing people respond to those. Seeing people respond to emails for new books that we like is another plus. There’s a $200 signed Obama photo book coming this November and we’ve sold 20 just from our emails. It just blew me away.
TM: Who are your best/worst customers?
JF: The best customers are just the good people with pleasant attitudes. The worst are the many, many nutcases who come to our store and signings. Both Tom and I are just sick of them. I could write a book on the many incidents we’ve had over the year with customers and authors. I would write the book, but I need a co-writer. Trust me—we’ve had more than our share.
TM: What are some of your recommendations?
JF: Chokehold by Georgetown Law Professor Paul Butler may be the best book on race I’ve read since The Psychopathic Racial Personality. As a college student I struggled to understand hate. Blacks, Jews, Asians, Indians and Latinos all seemed to be feared by far too many white people. Psychopathic helped me understand why.
Chokehold is the first book I’ve read which gets racism today. Plus Paul has very workable ideas on solving issues related to mass incarceration and other issues.
TM: Are you yourself a writer?
JF: Tom, Sam (Tom’s son), and I are not writers at all. I would like to be, but writing is hard work.
I don’t have many favorites authors right now. Walter Mosley is one, but some of my favorite books are The Chaneysville Incident by David Bradley, Chester Himes—all of his books, Gloria Naylor’s Mama Day, Locking Up Our Own by James Forman Jr.; Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean is outstanding, a roadmap to the insanity of the right.
TM: I always ask the booksellers to recommend another bookstore. What’s yours?
JF: I love The Last Bookstore in downtown L.A. Their motto is, “What are you waiting for? We won’t be here forever.” Just about any used store is a favorite.
TM: Any last thoughts?
JF: Last thing: Books have knowledge and reading books gives you knowledge and power.
