When we spoke, fugate was busy preparing for an event with walter mosley, the. Leimert park village 2020 cpp business development and. Fugate and coowner thomas hamilton hosted barack obamas book signing. Find james fugates phone number, address, and email on spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. Diversity in book publishing isnt just about writers. To celebrate the publication of looking good dead, ill be signing copies of my books at waterstones, notting hill gate, london at 2pm on saturday, june 17th. When we spoke, fugate was busy preparing for an event with walter mosley, the bestselling crime and mystery writer. For owners, tom hamilton and james fugate, their bookstore is not just a store to sell retail, but a place to share culture and ideas, where books are a facilitator of change and awareness and customers come with listening ears and stories of their own. To james fugate, coowner of eso won books in leimert park, the obamas are. Feb 23, 2016 beginning with fugate and hamilton selling books out of the back of their car, eso won has changed locations several times in its 28 years. Inside historic black bookstores fight for survival. Ottakers, worthing, thursday june 22nd at 7pm andheffers, cambridge, tuesday, july 18th at 6 to 8. The renewed push in recent years to highlight the works of black authors has boosted the fortunes of blackowned bookstores, says james fugate, coowner of eso won books, a longtime hub of black.
Before coronavirus forced eso won books to close in midmarch, the leimert park bookstore frequently held events and book signings, like this one with rodney king on april 30, 2012. Before coronavirus forced eso won books to close in midmarch, the leimert park bookstore frequently held events and book signings, like this. A spate of visitors on a city tour had just left the store, and fugates. At this time last year, there was real fear that the store would be closing down. We are specialty bookshop in our twentyeighth year of doing business. James fugate of eso won books 1 left to right eso won coowners tom hamilton and james fugate. Books are selling, but nationwide, many african american stores, ours included, are having hard times, fugate said. The author, professor and minister strikes the podium at eso won. Out of that has grown eso won, one of the areas premier spots for black literature. And what did eso won books have that customers were looking for, well thats been the question for quite some time now. Originally known as eso won books on wheels, james fugate, along with two. With raising rents in lpv, eso won has one again been faced with the possibility of closing shop. Originally known as eso won books on wheels, james fugate, along.
Leimert parks eso won bookstore will soon celebrate the launch of. Originally known as eso won books on wheels, james fugate, along with two other partners, went to different communities to offer reading material. James had such a wideranging opinion of so many interesting reads, i ended up leaving with a pile of booksnovels, nonfiction, childrens booksas did some of the family members who accompanied me. Sep 20, 2018 at eso won i was greeted by the affable james fugate, coowner of the store with tom hamilton, who was behind the register. May 11, 2020 operating in a state of emergency is nothing new for independent blackowned bookstores, which for decades have survived on the margins of the publishing industry. Coowned by james fugate and thomas hamilton, eso won, which stocks hundreds of books on black history and culture, holds book signings throughout the year and attracts some of the most prominent africanamerican authors in the country. James fugate, one of the coowners, says, our store is the kind of space that allows black writers to come in and feel at home. Aug 09, 2016 eso won has hosted signings with big names like muhammad ali, terry mcmillan, and tanehisi coates, as well as countless upandcoming novelists and poets since the stores opening in 1989. Oct 05, 2007 eso wons booksignings have been major events, some even major coups like the 2004 visit by clinton. Less is known about the african american civil rights pioneers who have made a difference in southern california.
Aug 09, 2016 james fugate, one of the coowners, says, our store is the kind of space that allows black writers to come in and feel at home. Back in in the late seventies and early eighties, james fugate debated between going into law and politics or going into the book business. Our store is the kind of space that allows black writers to come in and feel at home. A former, partner of the eso won went on a trip to egypt and thought it would be a perfect name for their new. The store is owned by james fugate and tom hamiltion. The book store has remained a constant, even as change has surrounded it. Eso won books is all about its community of customers and authors. At eso won i was greeted by the affable james fugate, coowner of the store with tom hamilton, who was behind the register. From the birth of eso won in 1988, owners, james fugate and thomas hamilton, intended to use their store as habitat for africanamerican culture drew. Book signings there by former president bill clinton and nfl player jerry rice drew scores to the village from throughout the city who shopped at nearby boutiques and ate at local. Operating in a state of emergency is nothing new for independent blackowned bookstores, which for decades have survived on the margins of the publishing industry.
An independent blackowned bookshop becoming available nov. Booksignings there by former president bill clinton and nfl player jerry rice drew scores to the village from throughout the city who shopped at nearby boutiques and ate at local. Mar 01, 2018 the final stop was at eso won books, one of the oldest black book stores in the western united states. Game of fools by fugate, james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Eso won has hosted signings with big names like muhammad ali.
Eso won has hosted signings with big names like muhammad ali, terry mcmillan, and tanehisi coates, as well as countless upandcoming novelists and poets since the stores opening in 1989. Recently they have hosted recording artist and radio personality keith sweat, renowned author walter mosely, and urban farmer and recipient of the mcarthur foundation genius grant, will. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the. One of the nations oldest blackowned bookstores read online for free. We dont only do book signings with people we agree with. When we spoke, fugate was busy preparing for an event with walter mosley. Black history month tends to focus on national figures of change, like dr. Inside historic black bookstores fight for survival against. Eso won books is a beloved blackowned bookstore in south. Fugate seems happy to accept as he looks to the future of eso won books and leimert park. Join facebook to connect with james fugate and others you may know. But in the last decade, it has nestled into a home in leimert park village. Coowners james fugate and thomas hamilton answer our questions below. Feb 19, 2012 eso won books to move following sale of building.
The founders of the first african american methodist church downtown in 1872. Coowners james fugate and thomas hamilton answer our. Clinton told all his friends he wanted them to meet him at eso won, fugate said. Events and emails have helped eso won books stay open for nearly three. Fugate said, we concentrate on the wide diversity of books by and about black people. One of the nations oldest blackowned bookstore poetry.
Eso won spelled similarly to the city of aswan, egypt and it means water over rocks. Eso won books has hosted a number of book signings with a long list. Eso wons booksignings have been major events, some even major coups like the 2004 visit by clinton. Most bookstores have seen a drop in overall book sales even as online sales pick up.