The Elegant Variation: DUTTON'S TO CLOSE

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February 25, 2008

DUTTON'S TO CLOSE

It is with a heavy, heavy heart that we share with you this email we (and others) received this morning in which Doug Dutton informs us of the closing of Dutton's Brentwood Books.

It is with profound regret and sorrow that Dutton’s Brentwood Books must announce that it will be closing on April 30, 2008.

As our regular customers and friends well know, the past year for the store has been one of upheaval and turmoil. Hard on the heels of the closure of the Dutton’s Beverly Hills location came word that the Brentwood property had changed ownership, and the new owner, Charles T. Munger, announced plans to redevelop the property. The multiple uncertainties of the bookstore’s future, combined with the encumbrances associated with the closure of the Beverly Hills store have crippled the store’s ability to provide the kind of immediate service and depth of inventory that our customers have come to rightly expect.

It is no secret that the store today is a shadow of its former self. Given our situation as it now stands, the pride we feel in our past achievements, and the vagaries of the current book market, shuttering our doors seems the only realistic solution. It is important to note that Charles Munger has committed to a significant amount of financial support for the difficult process of closing the store, and we appreciate his generosity.

Be assured, especially those of you who have regularly asked, “How are things going at the store,” that every effort has been made to try to sensibly and rationally save this enterprise. Those efforts continued up until last week. It is the uncertainty that has, more than any other factor, led us to this painful decision. It has arrested improvement to the physical property, impacted inventory, and made it impossible for our extraordinary staff to provide the level of service that they are accustomed to giving.

We have been asked if the store will reopen in the proposed new development, or at another site in the area. At present, any plans to reopen or relocate will have to await a real offer in a real situation, combined with a sober assessment of the realities of the book world. That said, we have not said “no” to any future possibility.

The one certainty that we have relied upon for our many years at this location is the honest and dedicated support by this community to the value of books and bookstores in general, and to this one in particular. This is a demonstrable fact, proven repeatedly, and while we openly acknowledge our debt to our customers for their years, and even decades, of support, we further ask for your understanding and forbearance in the extremely difficult months ahead.

Let's see if the Westside Beemer set can rouse themselves from Oscar stupor to pull a Keplers and rescue this literary oasis.

Posted at 08:34 AM in Local Heroes | Permalink

Comments

That's a real shame. Dutton's always hosted such a wonderful variety of events. Best of luck to Doug Dutton.

Posted by: Jennifer | February 25, 2008 at 11:47 AM

How can we help prevent this from happening?

Posted by: Karen Rushfield | February 25, 2008 at 12:25 PM

The last time I was in the store it was obvious something was going on, the stock was way down. Too many chains, too many books sold at big box stores, to say nothing of Amazon and the like. The worst thing about it is that these are the people that can make a less mainstream book happen. Instead we get Barnes and Noble dictating how books get written, essentially, by telling the publishers (of whom there are fewer and fewer) what they can sell.

Don't get me started. :)

Posted by: Max Diamond | February 26, 2008 at 12:43 PM

The comments to this entry are closed.

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The Elegant Variation

A Literary Weblog.
A Guardian Top 10 Literary Blog * A Forbes "Best of the Web" Pick * A Los Angeles Magazine Top Los Angeles Blog
"Really brave ... or really stupid" - NPR

February 25, 2008

DUTTON'S TO CLOSE

Comments

MY NOVEL

WORTHY READINGS

TEV DEFINED

RECOMMENDED

THIS GUN FOR HIRE:
Reviews & Criticism

SECOND LOOK

Categories

The Elegant Variation

A Literary Weblog. A Guardian Top 10 Literary Blog * A Forbes "Best of the Web" Pick * A Los Angeles Magazine Top Los Angeles Blog "Really brave ... or really stupid" - NPR

February 25, 2008

DUTTON'S TO CLOSE

Comments

MY NOVEL

WORTHY READINGS

TEV DEFINED

RECOMMENDED

THIS GUN FOR HIRE: Reviews & Criticism

SECOND LOOK

Categories

A Literary Weblog.
A Guardian Top 10 Literary Blog * A Forbes "Best of the Web" Pick * A Los Angeles Magazine Top Los Angeles Blog
"Really brave ... or really stupid" - NPR

THIS GUN FOR HIRE:
Reviews & Criticism