Echo Park’s Stories is the sexy little sister of the other indie bookstores in town. Selling primarily used fare, it’s located on the X-marks-the-spot hipster hub of the “Eastside” [Editor’s note: Yes, we’re fully aware we’re not using “Eastside” in the historical sense]. Ratty, tatty ’90s dresses swing on the slender hips of girls born in the ’90s as they peruse the art book section, trying not to hit you with what appears to be your mom’s Santa Fe-inspired shoulder bag, Boys in Elvis Costello glasses and preppy white sneakers flip through philosophy manuals, all of which might explode a mind if actually read. This is not to say the shoppers here aren’t serious readers or connoisseurs of the written word, but rather, the experience of going to Stories is as much about seeing what’s in stock as being seen. Stories has beautiful cards, decent iced tea, an inviting interior and one of the nicest outdoor garden areas to be found in the neighborhood — everything you need to rest and recoup after a lazy, hazy Sunday stroll down Sunset, where everyone you’ve made eyes at is on their way in. 1716 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. (213) 413-3733, storiesla.com. —Nikki Darling

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