Eso Won Books

Easily one of the best bookstores in America and the best customer service from a book store in years. They found me a rare first printing, kept it safely for 3 months for an author event had it signed as instructed and shipped expeditiously and carefully across country to my home.

One of my top book stores, have purchased many a book from them over the years, I remember when they had started out with the store front house back in the day on Slauson

I called 15 minutes before closing to ask whether they had a particular book. They had it and I needed multiple copies. Traffic was awful and I inched toward the store hoping they wouldn’t close. I called again and the staff said he was waiting. They stayed open until I arrived. The alternative would’ve meant driving all the way to Grove. So glad my neighborhood has a book store. Now… can we get a wine and cheese store?

This store is a breath of fresh air. Perfect place to get lost or should I say found for melanated people.

I have a simple philosophy about learning: school is what the system wants you to learn, while an education is what you teach yourself. Eso Won Books is the embodiment of the latter.
It is no secret that «Black History Month» in our public schools is little more than the regurgitation of quotes from MLK, and a few stories about Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat.
Year in and year out, it is the same limited conversation that tells young Black children that their legacy is slavery, oppression and the battle to be accepted in American society. Rarely do students learn of the Kingdom of Benin, Great Zimbabwe, Capoeira, Kush, Moores etc. Eso Won Books is a cultural resource that empowers one to correct this deficit by scouring an impressive collection that covers everything from Ifa to Cointel-​Pro.
This store itself is run by a humble elder that is knowledgeable about just about every tome and title that is on his shelves. He is friendly and helpful. The store is clean, quiet, organized and Black owned. So if truth and knowledge of self are what you seek, then look no further than this place.

Eso Won is a great bookstore with a plethora of books ranging from cookbooks to children’s books. They carry magazines such as Against the Current, Wax Poetics and Black College Today. Anything that you may not find in a traditional bookstore that may appeal to the diaspora, you’ll probably find here. And the prices, are amazing! Much cheaper than going to a chain.

This is the best book store in Los Angeles in my opinion, nowhere else have I received the kind of service and knowledgeability as the staff at Eso Won! It’s the only book store that I buy from!

After visiting Barnes and Nobles to get my Audre Lorde fix and being not only asked, «who is she?» (umm only the greatest poet/​woman alive!) but informed that they did not carry ANY of her work, I was extremely saddened. Luckily, because of that, I was able to discover this hidden gem. Esowon bookstore is small but has a charming vibe. The workers there were not only very helpful but extremely nice and courteous. In addition, their book stock is excellent. They carried several copies of New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander while the giant Barnes and Nobles only carried two or three. Surprisingly, the prices were about a dollar or two cheaper than BN. I read online that they host a book club once a month so I will be joining soon!

One of the few remaining Black owned bookstores in California. Great collection and you can order what you can’t find on the shelves unless the book is out of print.

Esowon is L.A.‘s only 100% black-​owned independent bookstore, located in Leimert Park. It’s a tiny place, cozy and charming, perfect for easy browsing and intimate events.
Walter Mosley always hits Esowon on his book tours, so that should tell you something about its prominence. And oh yes, it’s also played host to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. I came for a reading by Rachel Howzell Hall and had a great time. The event was fun and well managed, and I ended up browsing and buying books before and after the reading.
The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable, and should be able to help you find whatever you need. I picked up Rachel’s book as well as a couple nonfiction books on the L.A. riots (The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins by Brenda Stevenson) and Thurgood Marshall (Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King). I’d been looking out for the Stevenson book for a while and was happy to find a signed copy. Apparently she did a reading at Esowon and Latasha Harlins’ family showed up.
The book selection is very much focused on African-​American fiction and nonfiction with a social justice bent. The store also carries the greatest hits of general fiction, though, with a good selection of literary fiction and mysteries.
Esowon is a bit out of the way for me, but I’ll be back for more readings and to buy more books. It’s a treasure of an independent bookstore, and I hope it sticks around for to host some more presidents.

Super helpful staff in this quaint magical bookstore. One of the very few independent bookstores still around and it is a pleasure to support it.

Every time I enter this space, it feels sacred. All of those brilliant ideas coupled with jazz make for an enlightening space. People become philosophers in this place. It feels like a black Renaissance. You just get inspired. It is also very affordable, along with very unique literary pieces.
*A previous reviewer has stated that Eso Won needs a marketing director. I am very proud to say that the situation has changed. Their new website is
. It is immensely attractive and easy to navigate.

Outstanding! This store has been in my life for a decade now. 100% black owned. Source of knowledge and instruction. Support black business. Group economics101!
Book signings galore!
Great book sales!
Jazz playing as background music.
Leimert park. Historical black area of L.A.
Jamaican food next door. (head over to the corner for daily food specials at Ackee Bamboo) see my review!

A bookstore like no other in LA. Go for good convo with owners or patrons! If they dont have it, they will order it!

Welp, from now on, I know where I’ll be going for books in relation to the African Diaspora.
Esowon is amazing! They have huge discounts on several titles and the selection is incomparable to Barnes and Noble and The Last Bookstore.

It’s not everyday one comes across a black bookstore so by all means this one is worth checking out. Now situated in Leimert Park, I remember visiting it’s old location somewhat frequently with a parent who shall remain nameless– they got a lot of books and stuff for me to read. The people that run the place are pretty cool. They do guest speakers every now and then among other things and I attended the one where Nikki Giovanni stopped by.

Only been a few times, but when I went I met a former black panther and a former political prisoner (can’t do that at the Library!) They have guest speakers every now and then with a Q & A afterwards. If I lived closer i’d be there more often, for the books and for the good conversation with the owners.

Eso Won (‘water over rocks’)Books
How do I love thee? You have been a part of my literary life since high school when you were on La Brea. Whenever I am looking for a hard-​to-​find book in the African Diaspora or the latest NY Times bestseller, I could rest assured that you would have it (or could get it quickly).
Always helpful and kind, promoting authors of all stripes and definitely opening my eyes to people/​books I would never find anywhere else.

There are centers that cultivate the mind and this is one of them.
Esowon is a classic establishment in the community of people of African descent and beyond for a reason.
I have only visited this location once and once alone. Here are my thoughts.
Bored and desire some intellectual stimulation in the form of a new book or a random conversation?
You may not like what you read or what you hear. You might find delight and discover joy filled tears. You might find something you did not know you had lost. You might find the concept of truth is more delicate than you had thought.
And at the end of the day you can still walk away with your dignity intact even if you entered the store in a state of extreme innocence.
Thank you for inspiring my bad poetry.

With LA having exponentially more cars than street pedestrians, it has unfortunately hampered the public visibility of those who likes to read. Located on South La Brea, this bookstore is a special place with which intellectualism is found rich and alive, and the community events that often bring people together to engage with high profile guest speakers, poetry readings, and other public forums have been rocking the house and the minds of the people. I like to come here whenever possible and last year I had the chance to see Michael Eric Dyson breaking down the presidential election, and enjoyed spending time with friends going over an impressive book collection that touches on issues that relate to urban sociology, ethnic studies, U.S. history, art, music, and education.
Service is personalized and down to earth. My last purchase, «The Autobiography of W.E.B. Du Bois» and «April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King’s Death and How it Changed America» were important reads for my work as an educator. I hope this bookstore receives a broader range of support from interested readers so that smaller moms and pops can continue to play a crucial role in shaping the intellectual landscape of LA.
For more information, here are all the previous LA Times articles on Eso Won:
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