{"id":270753,"date":"2026-04-16T13:27:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T13:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/270753\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T13:27:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T13:27:08","slug":"skylight-books-is-opening-an-eagle-rock-location-with-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/270753\/","title":{"rendered":"Skylight Books is opening an Eagle Rock location with cafe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Los Feliz neighborhood gem Skylight Books<\/a> is opening a second location in Eagle Rock.<\/p>\n

The storied bookseller posted the announcement<\/a> on social media last week, writing, \u201cWe just signed a lease on this lovely space at 1958 Colorado Blvd., and hope to open this fall. It\u2019s nearly 6,000 square feet and will have room for a cafe!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry \u2014 we\u2019re not leaving Los Feliz,\u201d the post continued. \u201cThis location will be in addition to our current home, where we\u2019ll be celebrating 30 years this fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nestled in the heart of Los Feliz, the original Skylight Books has solidified its standing as a cultural hub of L.A.\u2019s east side. Passing by on a random weeknight, one might see an overflow of patrons spilling onto Vermont Avenue, as the shop regularly hosts authors<\/a> to discuss their new books. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of \u201cThe Sympathizer,\u201d Viet Thanh Nguyen<\/a>, made an appearance there last month, and Pulitzer Prize finalist Xochitl Gonzalez<\/a> is expected to stop by to discuss her new book, \u201cLast Night in Brooklyn,\u201d on April 27.<\/p>\n

In the comments section of Skylight\u2019s post announcing the big news, the who\u2019s who of L.A.\u2019s literati popped the proverbial champagne. <\/p>\n

\u201cFinally I can walk to Skylight,\u201d replied Mark Haskell Smith<\/a>. \u201cWow!\u201d added Tod Goldberg<\/a>. \u201cThis is about to change my whole life,\u201d wrote Attica Locke<\/a>. Emma Straub<\/a> chimed in, \u201cOMG!!!!!!,\u201d and Rosecrans Baldwin<\/a> left some emojis: clinking bubbly glasses to toast the news.<\/p>\n

Mary Williams, the bookstore\u2019s co-owner and general manager, told The Times this week that the team at Skylight was blown away by the response online.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really was kind of thrilling to see this thing that we\u2019ve been working on for a couple months, finally getting to share it with the world, and seeing everyone get so excited about it,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I really can\u2019t wait to open and invite everyone in.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the Los Feliz shop is around 3,500 square feet, the new Eagle Rock digs are significantly larger. The location has been home to various eateries over the years \u2014 most recently, Cheebo \u2014 and Skylight will have to bring in some construction powerhouses to tear out a massive pizza oven and commercial kitchen to make way for the books.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a bigger store than we have here in Los Feliz,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThere\u2019s room for a cafe, which is going to be the big difference, and we\u2019re hoping to add a beer and wine license to that as well, and, of course, plenty of room for lots of books.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from Eagle Rock\u2019s forthcoming cafe, and the massive ficus tree that will remain unique to the Los Feliz location, Williams hopes the two stores won\u2019t be so different at all. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is really to take what we\u2019re already doing in Los Feliz and bring it to another neighborhood that would welcome that kind of curation, which is why Eagle Rock could be a good fit for us,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe will tweak the proportions of sections. Some might be bigger, some might be smaller, especially after we open, and kind of see what people are responding to in the neighborhood,\u201d she said. \u201cBut the goal really is for Skylight to be Skylight, no matter which location you\u2019re in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams said the goal is to open the Eagle Rock store in late October. \u201cOur architect told us that\u2019s a pretty ambitious timeline, but we\u2019re going for it,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re moving as fast as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skylight will keep customers updated on Eagle Rock news via its social media accounts and newsletter. <\/p>\n

This weekend, acclaimed authors Bess Kalb, Stephen Graham Jones, Luke Goebel, Chiara Barzini, Jose Pimienta, Justin Torres, Rachel Khong and Nate DiMeo will sign books at the Skylight Books booth at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books<\/a>. <\/p>\n