Skylight Books
Founded: 1996
The west side of LA has the Arts District and the east side has Los Feliz. The neighborhood is a parade of coffee shops, art depots, hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants, vintage clothing stores, music venues and most importantly bookstores like Skylight Books.
Yes, it is the bookstore with a tree growing in the middle of it. In the center of all the bookshelves, the tree stands in a spot of sunlight. The name “Sky Light” is quite literal: the whole store is illuminated by the openness of the ceiling and the fresh light pouring through. Above the shelves are painted wooden signs designating each genre- I appreciated the diversity of unconventional and unique sections. Next door, Skylight Books opened an Arts Annex to house all of the beautiful photography and design books that outgrew the space. Both locations are now a staple of the Los Feliz neighborhood. You might even get to meet Franny, the cutie cat that lives there!
THE STORY
In the late 90’s, Skylight Books took over the footprint of a bookstore called Chatterton’s, a popular artsy bookshop in the 70’s. Once Chatterton’s went out of business, the landowners put together a group of book-loving investors to make the space a bookstore once again.
Kerry Slattery was the store manager for over 20 years, but retired last year and Mary Williams is now the current general manager.
Skylight Books continues the cultural legacy that Chatterton’s left behind. It serves the Los Feliz neighborhood with an array of literary and art events held in the open space of their store. I talked to Steven, one of the managers, about the history of the neighborhood and its’ development over the past few decades, about wacky video stores and quirky cafes down the street with poetry readings and art openings, “the kind of place where none of the chairs matched,” he remarked.
The neighborhood has always been a creative and artistic space, and Skylight Books is a microcosm for this type of creative world. In 2008, Skylight Books expanded and added a new shop next door- they had outgrown their space, and the Arts Annex now houses the art, photography, and graphic novels that didn’t have enough room to grow in the original store. Now, these beautiful books have enough space to spread out, show off their covers, and allow people to see their faces.
Steven and I talked about the importance of the Arts Annex, and even though his office is next door, he stops in the Annex quite often. It is an inspiring place- a place to learn about new things, to see things you’ve never heard about, to flip through new schools of architecture or photography. In a way it is its own world, one that you definitely want to be a part of.
NOTABLE SECTIONS:
Skylight carries new titles that are beautifully organized and displayed throughout the store. I appreciated the way in which they try to show as many faces as possible; the cover artwork is valued in their displays, and it is part of the reason this bookstore is one of the most aesthetically pleasing places in Los Feliz. Skylight Books understands that cover art is a large part of the attraction in buying and collecting books.
As for their shelves, they have an all-star literary fiction section, and do their local Angelenos justice by having an entire poetry section devoted to Los Angeles writers. They also have a robust regional section on the history of Los Angeles and the classic works that describe it best. For my favorite books on LA read here.
Skylight also houses alternative sections on anarchism, psychedelics, and alternative ways of thinking. There is something for everyone, and that’s what makes this bookstore so interesting.
Lastly, make sure to check out the continuously growing graphic novel section in the Arts Annex. A great series to check out (per Steven’s recommendation) is the Hernandez Brother’s “Love and Rockets” graphic novel series.
They have a magazine wall, paper maches, unique cards and posters, and more. You could spend hours digging through the plethora of cool finds.
AUTHOR EVENTS
I asked Steven what his favorite part of working for the store is or what his most memorable moments are, and he replied that the most important aspects to him are the author events, something that sets Skylight books apart. He loves their involvement with the community and is continually impressed by the authors and proud to have a place to be a voice for them.
“All of the people who pass through leave little marks on you, and I still feel them all the time.”
Bookstores are a place for discussion and connection. They open up all realms of possibility. They expose you to new voices, new ideas, and words that will change you, shape you. Skylight embodies the openness and togetherness of everything a bookstore should be.
CAFES & RESTAURANTS
Bru Coffeebar- this little spot is just down the street with friendly people, wifi, and great coffee.
IL Capriccio - old school, family run Italian restaurant with big bowls of fresh pasta.
Stay up to date with all their events by following:
Website: https://www.skylightbooks.com/
Social: https://www.facebook.com/skylightbooks
Used Books: ✕
Rare Books: ✕
Sell Books: ✓
Cafe: ✕
Wifi: ✕
Pets: ✓ (if cat friendly!)
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