A Change of Hobbit (1972–1991) was one of the first science fiction, fantasy and horror bookstores established, and was a significant part of science fiction fandom generally and in Southern California particularly.[1][2] The name puns on the hobbits of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
| Location | (1st location) Westwood Village, West Los Angeles (2nd location) Westwood Boulevard, West Los Angeles (3rd location) Lincoln Boulevard, Santa Monica (4th location) 2nd Street, Santa Monica |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 1972 |
| Closing date | 1991 |
| Owner | Sherry Gottlieb |
| Goods sold | Speculative fiction |
The Change of Hobbit bookstore hosted numerous events, including, famously, Harlan Ellison in its front window, writing a story in public view over the course of a week.[3] The store was also a mainstay on author tours, as Anne Rice noted: "Authors around the world have dreamed of going to the Hobbit for signings. What's a West Coast tour if you can't visit Sherry?"[1] The store was also notable for Gottlieb's pet boa constrictor, "Wrinklesnakeskin".[1]
History
editIn 1972, when she was 23 years old, Gottlieb first opened the store in Westwood Village near UCLA. In a tiny location, 12ʹ × 15ʹ above a laundromat, the store was a success and became a popular Tuesday-night meeting location for authors and fans. A year later she expanded and moved the store a mile away to a larger location on Westwood Boulevard, then a few years later to a Lincoln Boulevard location in Santa Monica. In 1989, Gottlieb moved the store to its final location on 2nd Street in Santa Monica, but then closed the store in 1991.[1]
Gottlieb also offered the use of her store's name to colleagues in Berkeley, who in 1977 established The Other Change of Hobbit bookstore; though it no longer has a physical storefront, as of 2021 that store continues to operate in the Bay Area.[4]
Notes
edit- ^ a b c d Duke Helfand, "For Science Fiction Fans, Old Habit Dies Hard : Change of Hobbit Devotees Are Already Mourning Bookstore Demise", Los Angeles Times, Feb. 10, 1991.
- ^ Sherry Gottlieb, "Escape Velocity: A History of A Change of Hobbit Bookstore" (draft memoir, last visited March 31, 2014).
- ^ Harlan Ellison, Strange Wine.
- ^ Bullock, Ken (August 10, 2010). "The Other Change of Hobbit is Living in South Berkeley". The Berkeley Daily Planet.
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