The Bookstore on Dudley
By Kittly
Bratton
It seems like all the important
events of my life were on or near the boardwalk of Venice.
My parents, Milton and Bunny Bratton met
there and were a big part of the Beat generation, my dad was the music man - The
Blues, Billie Holliday, etc. - and my mom, a very clever woman, well ahead of
her time, happy in a mixed
marriage.
In the 60’s, my dad had
a bookstore on Dudley, next to the venice west
cafe.
It was quite a gathering place. I
was a kid of 10 trying to get to POP whenever I could, in and out of the SRF all
summer, I can still hear the conga players on the Brooks Ave. rocks, down by the
water.
I also met my first true love on
the ocean front, he lived in the same courtyard apartments as my dad, around
1973.
This place (517 OFW-the
gingerbread cafe) has since been turned into
shops.
But at the time it was full of
elderly ladies and the owner was ancient, the building was built in 1924 and has
nothing to do with Charlie Chaplin. It had originally been the summer place of
star, Eddie Cantor. I lived there for a short time and sadly my mom died
upstairs, in what used to be #17.
The
place was sold in 1985 and it was the end of an era, my dad had lived there
since ‘68.
So, Venice had given much to
them and taken alot too.
It sure is not
the way I see it in my memory. I love looking at the at the early photos of the
fun place it was. But every time I visit, there are less of the old places
left. I have one friend left there and I envy her. I clearly remember when the
beach was my front yard, my kids were babies, everyone knew everyone. And the
beautiful sunsets.
My dad died there in
‘87, he loved the freedom of individuality that it offered. It seems
there is more than one idea of Venice, the folks who love it each carry their
own dream of it.
Living in Sacramento
- thinking of, longing for -Venice.
Posted: Mon - December
1, 2003 at 03:25 PM