Esowon Celebrates Grand Reopening in New Location

Esowon Books, the 18-year-old African-American bookstore, has moved to Leimert Park Village, a Los Angeles neighborhood favored by African-American businesses and cultural institutions. The store, founded and owned by James Fugate and Tom Hamilton, celebrated its grand reopening, in a 3,200-square-foot space, on October 14.

California Congresswomen Maxine Waters and Dianne E. Watson and City of Los Angeles Council member Bernard Parks, along with other state officials, attended the celebration. Authors Karen E. Hudson, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Dr. Kwaku Person-Lynn, S. Pearl Sharpe, and Anthony Asadullah Samad autographed books throughout the afternoon.

Left-right: Dr. Firpo Carr, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Dianne E. Watson, Assembly member Mark Ridley-Thomas, Tom Hamilton, James Fugate, Dr. Kwaku Person-Lynn, Council member Bernard Parks (photo credit: Ricky Henderson)

"Sales were tremendous," Fugate said of the day. "Many businesses and city officials wanted us in this neighborhood. We have wanted to be here in the past. Now our challenge is to get all of our customers to follow us here."

Fugate characterized the Leimert Park Village area as the number-one African-American retail district in Los Angeles. "We have supported the shops here, and we feel these businesses complement us," he said. "Leimert Park is home to a number of major events in the African-American community, such as the annual Kwanzaa celebration, and it is the endpoint of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day march."

Efforts to maintain the economic health of the Leimert Park neighborhood have brought attention to the area, according to Fugate, who said, "The city was extremely enthusiastic about having L.A.'s premiere African-American bookstore move in here."

During its 18 years, Esowon has hosted a number of major author events, drawing crowds of hundreds and even thousands to hear notable authors such as Maya Angelou, Walter Mosley, former President Bill Clinton, and Sen. Barack Obama.

Fugate told BTW that Obama has a special relationship with Esowon. "We invited him to the store in 1995 when Dreams From My Father (Crown) was first published. About 10 people showed up," Fugate said with a laugh. "[But] he stayed and talked for over an hour."

Now, Obama has his choice of venues, and, Fugate said, Obama made it clear to the publisher of his bestselling book, The Audacity of Hope (Crown), that he wanted Esowon on his tour schedule. And this time Obama's October 27 appearance drew a slightly larger crowd -- of about 800. Esowon partnered with local community organizations for the event, which was held at the California African-American Museum.

Fugate said that Obama remembered his first visit to Esowon "like it was yesterday," and he told Fugate that the people at Esowon "had treated him like [he] was Toni Morrison." Fugate concluded, "[Obama] said he learned long ago that 'you dance with the people who brought you there.' And that was Esowon." --Nomi Schwartz