Bart's Books is a bookstore in Ojai, California. It was founded by Richard Bartindale in 1964. In the outdoor section, shelves of books face the street, and patrons are asked to drop coins into the door's coin box to pay for any books they take whenever the store is closed.
 | |
 Street view | |
| Formerly | Bart's Outdoor Bookstore[1] |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Richard Bartindale |
| Headquarters | |
| Owner | David and Andrea Grant[1] |
| Website | bartsbooksojai |
Bart's Books has been featured in the 2010 movie Easy A and novels.
Description
editThe outdoors section is surrounded by plants and bookshelves facing the street.[1] There are over 100,000 used books, which are categorized depending on the room the books are in.[2] When the store is closed, customers can pay for books shelved outside via a coin box.[1][3] There was a 300 year old oak tree that grew inside of the bookstore; it was removed due to it falling into the street.[1]
History
editBorn in Oxford, Indiana, in 1917,[1] Richard Bartindale was a World War II navigator for the United States Navy Reserve.[4] After the war, Bartindale traveled across Europe; in Paris, he was inspired by the "open-air" style of bouquinistes.[1] Having worked at bookshops across California, he founded Bart's Books in 1964.[1] In the late 1960s, Bartindale and his family left Ojai, California, to travel to Oxford; ownership shifted to Gary Schlichter, a former landscaper, when he purchased the bookstore.[1]
In popular culture
editBart's Books appears at the start of Carl Hyndman's novel Bookstore on the Seine.[5] The store was featured in Easy A, a 2010 American teen comedy movie.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Stewart, Rachel Schnalzer (July 27, 2023). "The untold story of California's most iconic outdoor bookshop". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ Hillinger, Charles (December 16, 1990). "The Honor System Works All Night Long at Bart's Books: Ojai: Real estate agents cite the store as an example of the city's small-town style. They say it helps sell houses". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
- ^ Randall, Laura (October 16, 2005). "Ojai, Calif.: The Anti-L.A." The Washington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ "China-Formosa Navy Airline". Army, Navy, Air Force Journal & Register. Vol. 83. Army and Navy Journal, Incorporated. 1945. p. 230. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ Hyndman, Carl (August 11, 2022). "Bart's Books is center stage in mystery-thriller novel". Ojai Valley News. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
- ^ "Hollywood Backlot: Easy A". Los Angeles Times. pp. 4, 13, 17, 18. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
- ^ Palladino, D.J. (September 23, 2010). "Easy A". Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
External links
edit- Official website
- "California's Tranquil Ojai Valley", November 6, 1988, New York Times