From 1931 to 1995, one of the go-to places for Hollywoodites in search of something to read was the Pickwick Bookstore at 6743 Hollywood Blvd. This photo is undated but I’m guessing it was taken in the 1940s because this looks like a Kodachrome photo, whose popularity peaked in the ‘40s. The second story is where they had the second-hand books. I love all that Churrigueresque decorative work on the front of the building, but I am wondering about that big red circle is on top of the roof sign. Did it light up?
** UPDATE** We can see the circle more clearly in this circa 1940 photo. The figure in the center is their mascot/logo, which we can see in the bookmark further down this page.
The building is still there and so is that decorative work on the front. Well, mostly, anyway. This image is from February 2021.
…and the huge upstairs at Pickwick in the 50s was crammed with used books. It was one of those dangerous places you went in just to pick something up and came out three hours later.
In the 1950’s it was owned by the Epstein family; Eugene Epstein graduated Hollywood High School in 1952. He became a renowned physicist (I believe astrophysicist) in the early aerospace era. His older brother Aaron was, until at least 2 years ago, still with us and in good health.
I love how the sign atop the building looks like a book that’s been cracked open, with the “title” – that is, the name of the store – printed vertically on the “spine.” (Note that the current two-sided billboard appears to be using the old structure of that “book.”)
Oh my goodness, Bill, you’re right! That sign looks like a book! I didn’t even notice that. And I also appreciated that the current sign has kept the same structure as the old one.
As I recall, I bought MCO (Modern Chess Openings) there in ’57, studied it, and it bore fruit, as I won the Fairfax High School Chess Championship in ’58. My interest in the game waned shortly thereafter, unfortunately, but it still remains the highlight of my somewhat ‘checkered’ High School academic performance. I still ‘squeaked’ into UCLA however in ’60.
Thanks for the photos and information, I recently bought a 1955 Bantam Books edition of Death of a Salesman at a thrift store in Tucson, AZ, and found a Pickwick bookmark in it and was curious about the place — just from the bookmark it looked like it might have been a cool place, and I can see from the photos and comments that it was.
Yes, Greg, it was a very well-known and loved Hollywood institution for decades.
It was one of the coolest bookstores, ever! If it was still there, I would make a special trip, just to visit it again. I spent hours in that store when I lived down there.
I wish I’d had the chance to visit it at least once.
I worked at Pickwick on Hollywood Blvd. in the 1960s. It was one of the great experiences of my life. Mr. E., the owner, was, from the day I interviewed for the job, one of my favorite people….ever!
Many fond childhood memories searching through the stacks Mr. E. was always ready to answer questions. I have the same bookmark.
Went to Hollywood High with Eugene Epstein and many years later a cardio gym with his late older brother Aaron. Eugene became an honored astro physicist (I think) no doubt helped by growing up in the Pickwick Bookstore and all those books.
Something just reminded me of how I always loved books and bookstores (actually, I found a great pic of the library at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (which I have visited) to use as a background for Zoom meetings). I remembered even when I was an early teen (in the early 60’s), I would frequently take my paper route earnings and head to Pickwick, usually buying at least one or two books and usually spending an hour or two just hunting around. I searched for Pickwick and found this site (thanks Martin)! I can still picture the place vividly. Fond memories of Pickwick!
Thanks for sharing your memories with us. Everybody seems to remember Pickwick as fondly as you do.