LABJ’s LA Stories
Midnight Moves
Finally!
It seems fitting that Midnight Special Bookstore, which started as a Venice cooperative, is relying on the cooperation of its most loyal customers to complete its move to Second Street in Santa Monica.
Dozens of volunteers helped pack up the store’s inventory for temporary storage a couple of weeks ago, and owner Margie Ghiz sent out another e-mail call last week seeking help putting all those books on their new shelves.
“We literally can not do this without you,” Ghiz wrote. “At least not before Christmas 2004.”
Store manager Ruben Perez said two 18-wheelers were due to drop off the books late last week, and the hope was to complete the shelving by Oct. 29.
But while Midnight Special is seeking all the help it can get, Perez said he and other employees were asking volunteers to call ahead and schedule a time.
“It gets very confusing when you have people just showing up,” he said. “We’re trying to be as coordinated as possible.”
Darrell Satzman
Paint Ball
Halloween has yet another look.
Copro/Nason Fine Art Publishing is holding a “Haunted Doll House” exhibition in its Culver City gallery, featuring paintings and sculptures inspired by artist Elizabeth Mcgrath’s wooden dollhouse sculptures containing odd animals and creatures.
“It’s aesthetic, with creepy overtones,” said Gary Pressman, the gallery director.
Among the 30 artists in the exhibit are Isabel Semaris, whose “Wednesday the Destroyer” was inspired by the “Addams Family” TV show; Mark Ryden, who painted a haunted Hawaiian tiki; Glenn Barr’s “Carosoul of Souls” depicts a haunted carousel; Joe Coleman painted a creepy looking family; and drummer Ricky Rocket from the rock band Poison painted a coffin.
“It gets you in a really great mood for Halloween,” said Pressman.
Michael Thuresson
Recall Comics
Do they think Californians can’t laugh at themselves?
Home furnishings retailer Crate and Barrel put up billboards earlier this month in downtown Chicago portraying a long row of wine glasses, above which it reads: “More choices than a California recall election.”
“This is an unusual communication for us,” said Kathy Paddor, director of marketing for the chain, owned by Northbrook, Ill.-based Euromarket Designs Inc. “But we thought it was timely and, because this is our hometown, we always like to use a sense of humor about what’s around us.”
Crate and Barrel, which opened its first Beverly Hills store near Nate n’ Al’s on North Beverly Drive last month, opted for something less provocative in its local billboards. “Furniture and housewares with coleslaw slaw on the side,” said one.
Will the L.A. billboards have more lasting power now that the recall is now over? Not necessarily.
“While it may be over, it’s very memorable,” Paddor said. “It will be up until our holiday campaign goes up.”
Amanda Bronstad
Pedal Power
Traveling stand-up comedian Tom Snyders just got back from Hawaii, and boy are his legs tired.
Ever since his car broke down in 1987, Snyders has made a mission of cycling to every one of his performances, logging more than 123,000 miles.
Now on his way back from performances in Hawaii, Snyders has been pedaling his fully loaded touring bike on stationary platform eight hours a day on a cruise ship, thus completing his goal of cycling to all 50 states.
“On my first trip, I had 16 days to ride 1,600 miles to get to Des Moine,” Snyders said from the ship’s phone. “I was 200 miles from Des Moine, when I checked my messages and found out the club had burned down.”
In addition to having plenty of time to come up with new material, Snyder’s touring has added health benefits. “The other comedians I started out with 17 years ago are not looking too good.”
Matt Myerhoff
The Roving Eye
Medicinal Halloween
What can a medical supply company do to boost sales in a flat industry?
At Scrubs Unlimited in Westwood Village, owner Phillip Gabriel generates nearly a third of his annual revenue in October selling everything from surgical scrubs and stethoscopes to lab coats and nurse’s uniforms for Halloween costumes.
During October, Gabriel said he gets between 200 and 300 customers a day while the rest of the year he averages 30 or 40.
“October is my Christmas,” he said. “Call me in December and I’ll cry on your shoulder, but this time of year is great for me.”
He started marketing his garb as costumes two years ago with a banner across his store proclaiming, “Everything you need to be a doctor or a nurse without the debt.”
Medical costumes have become so popular with UCLA students that fraternities and sororities now hold doctor and nurse parties. This year, Gabriel added “dirty doctor” and “naughty nurse” costumes, which have been a hit with more than just the college crowd.
“A lot of mild mannered soccer moms are getting into these outfits,” he said. “The nurse’s dress is pretty tight and form fitting, but it all depends how naughty they really want to make it.”
And it doesn’t matter if anything is left over after Halloween, because Gabriel can sell it during the rest of the year. “Except for nurse’s hats,” he said. “Nobody ever buys those things during the year.”
The real doctors and nurses that make up his clientele the rest of the year are apparently amused by the trend, even its more risqu & #233; variations.
“In a way, it’s kind of flattering,” Gabriel said.
Andy Fixmer
