The place needs little introduction to these parts, but here's a brief recap for the hell of it: run by barber-turned-MacArthur Genius Grant winner Reuben Martinez, host to almost every major Latino author of the past 25 years, and one of the last remaining independent bookstores in Orange County, period. But due to the ravages of the book industry, Libreria Martinez was in danger of closing until Martinez's daytime employer, Chapman University (where he works as an ambassador to Latino students) stepped in to turn it into a nonprofit. Now rebranded as Libreria Martinez de Chapman University, it'll reopen this month, stronger than ever and relevant as always.
