Mysterious Galaxy, one of the leading independent bookstores in Southern California, has announced changes to its business strategy that will transform its Redondo Beach location from a bookstore into a headquarters for its special event business. It will also move its San Diego store, which has outgrown its space, into a new, larger nearby location.
“Mysterious Galaxy has weathered many changes in our industry, the economy, and in our physical locations,” said managing partner Terry Louchheim Gilman. “We have worked to serve our communities in a variety of ways beyond our storefront business, increasing our outside events, setting up pop-up stores, and creating unique events that bring authors and readers together.”
Because the indie has found itself increasingly involved in off-site events in Los Angeles, Orange County, and the South Bay, it will retain the Redondo Beach store, which opened in 2011, as a warehouse to prepare for events such as Comic Con International, Men of Mystery, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and Boucheron. Mysterious Galaxy specializes in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and more.
“This transition will allow us to expand our events business for additional community-focused events in partnership with local businesses, conferences, authors, and publishers,” Gilman said.
Some of the events already established by Gilman and her team are Ladies, Lunch, and Literacy; Books Are Better Shared; Literary Orange; and Mystery on the Menu at the Cerritos Library.
The Redondo Beach store will close on June 15. Gilman anticipates that customers of the store will be unhappy with the news of its closing. “But we’ll be looking for opportunities to serve them in other ways,” she says. “We plan to create and host events at local venues, enabling readers and authors to come together to share their love of books and conversation, and hope that this new format will engage the enthusiasm of readers in Southern California.” A store-wide sale is in progress from now until June 15.
