California's politically progressive Midnight Special bookstore, which closed in March, has found a new location at 1450 2nd Street in Santa Monica, a few blocks from the previous location. The store is scheduled to re-open in late June; its old location is being converted into a Benetton.
As of mid-February, things were starting to look desperate for Midnight Special. Owner Margie Ghiz was having a hard time securing an affordable location and expected her rent to be at least double what she was paying on the Third Street Promenade, where the store operated for 33 years. In the past decade, the Promenade had became one of the most expensive commercial retail areas in Southern California; and the store had been helped significantly by a landlord who subsidized the rent. Moreover, bookstore competition was fierce: along the promenade are a 42,000-sq.-ft. Barnes & Noble and a 30,000-sq.-ft. Borders. The other remaining independent bookseller along the Promenade, Hennessey & Ingalls Art & Architecture Books, is relocating to Wilshire Blvd. in August.
In an e-mail announcing the new location, Ghiz reminded customers that the store will need help moving stock and said she will send details when they are available. (More information will be available online at www.msbooks.com.)
In that same e-mail, Ghiz said she still fears for the state of the world. She wrote, "I believe these are very dangerous times to be without every possible avenue of real information; it has been hard not being able to be there when we are needed. It has been even harder not being a part of the most exciting peace movement our world has ever seen. We look forward to re-joining you all!"
