A Latino institution struggles to stay open - Rueben Martinez, owner of Libreria Martinez Books and Art Gallery in Santa Ana, might have to close his shop by year’s end despite the store’s renown as one of the nation’s largest Latino-themed bookstores.

The store that began as a shelf in Martinez’s barbershop in 1993 has grown into a local institution with an international draw, bringing in hundreds of authors, such as literary giants Isabel Allende, Julia Alvarez and Carlos Fuentes and high-profile speakers, including Nobel Peace Prize-winning Costa Rica President Oscar Arias.

Anchored by Martinez’s mission — to get people of all ages to read, in English or Spanish — the store has prospered as a community center, holding English and music classes, and where residents can attend a poetry reading or pick up a book or magazine.”*

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