Remember the name Circus of Books. Originally opening as Book Circus in 1960, this West Hollywood bookstore catered to both straight and mostly gay smut consumers. Book Circus had a prime location. It sat on the corner in front of Vaseline Alley. This alley was a known hotspot for gay men. They would meet for hook-ups, car dates, purchase drugs, and pick up prostitutes.
Karen and Barry Mason later acquired Book Circus. They had been distributing Larry Flynt publications. Book Circus became a major magazine distribution point for the Masons. Barry Mason recalled that Book Circus and Universal News each took 600 copies of the gay Blueboy magazine when it first came out. Guys would wait at the door. They would rip open the box and buy them fresh.
The owner of Book Circus stopped paying his bills. He was deep in his coke addiction and had Mafia debts. Mason spoke to the building manager. He offered to pay half the rent until the owner was evicted. The manager agreed and gave Mason the keys.
The owner filed for bankruptcy. The courts tried to seize the Masons’ assets. So Book Circus became Circus of Books. Business grew steadily through the 1980s at Circus of Books. The Masons then got caught in a federal effort. The government tried to shut down L.A.’s adult video distributors.
Attorney General Dick Thornburgh spearheaded the effort. He used the U.S. Postal Service to intercept packages from adult distributors. In 1990, a trio of California producers were indicted. They were charged with interstate transportation of obscene material.
Their lawyer told the Masons to fight. Barry Mason Enterprises Inc. vs. USA took two years in court. In the end, neither of the Masons served time. Barry agreed to probation without a conviction. The charges were dropped.
Circus of Books was a source of nostalgia. Many gay men searched for erotic movies and magazines. This was especially true throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. The store attracted straight porn lovers and famous faces too.
In 2020, C1R took over the store. It was reimagined as a new Circus of Books with a high-end boutique atmosphere. This moved away from the seedy hook-up style of yesterday’s porn shop. The new store also features Gallery at Circus. This highlights LGBTQ artists. Their art might still be a bit racy for most galleries.
For over 35 years, Circus of Books gave Los Angeles’ LGBT community a space. People could socialize and celebrate themselves without judgment. The store was cultivated by owners Karen and Barry Mason. They were a straight couple with three children. The Masons long refused to disclose their business to friends or family.
Rachel Mason’s documentary, Circus of Books, premiered on Netflix. It offers an in-depth look at the store’s history. It also shows her parents’ involvement with the gay community. This is juxtaposed against their conservative Jewish lifestyle. The documentary highlights the legacy of Circus of Books. It was a landmark of the Los Angeles gay community.