Chevalier's Books, in Larchmont Village in Los Angeles, Calif., has a new co-owner: Patricia Lombard, co-owner and publisher of the Larchmont Buzz, the local news site that was founded in 2011 and has more than 20,000 monthly readers. Lombard is taking over the interest of Chevalier's co-owner Darryl Holter, who Buzz wrote, is "stepping away from the daily operations [but] remains deeply passionate about Chevalier's and will stay involved." Chevalier's other co-owner, Bert Deixler, who bought the store with Holter, in 2014, continues in his role.
Lombard commented: "The Larchmont Buzz is delighted to join forces with Chevalier's, a beloved neighborhood landmark. Our mission has always been to strengthen community connection. This partnership is a natural step. It will allow us to expand our editorial content, establish a physical presence, and amplify the wonderful opportunities for engagement and community building that unfold every day at Chevalier's."
Deixler added, "Chevalier's is excited to partner with a trusted news source that reaches so many of our customers and allows us to reach many more who we hope will be regular customers, providing the essential support our local business needs."
Chevalier's also has a new manager, Pamela Christlieb, who has more than 30 years of bookselling experience.
Chevalier's was founded in 1940 by J.W. "Joe" Chevalier as a lending library where customers could rent a book for a few cents a day. In 1990, he retired and sold the store to Filis Winthrop and Gilpin Netburne, both Chevalier's booksellers. In 2014, Winthrop retired and sold the store to Deixler and Holter. Holter is CEO of the Shammas Group and an historian whose Woody Guthrie L.A.: 1937 to 1941 was published by Angel City Press. Deixler is an attorney and law professor. Lombard has been involved in the Larchmont community since moving there in 1989. She is also the author of Larchmont, published by Arcadia Press.
Over the years, Chevalier's shifted its emphasis from a lending library to a bookstore that features new titles, including translated fiction, small presses, and zines by independent artists.