The Onion Comes Downtown

By Eric Richardson
Published: Thursday, September 14, 2006, at 02:48PM

Eric Richardson

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Onion has been in Los Angeles for just over a month now, but today’s the first time I’ve seen a newsrack for it. I was headed to get some lunch when I came across this stand at the corner of 6th and Hope.

I actually subscribed to The Onion for a while in Michigan, back in 1999 or so. Yeah, it was cool to read online, but it was cooler to have a paper copy in your hand.

Last month a representative from Street Services came to the DLANC Transportation & Public Works committee to talk about the newsrack ordinance. He brought a list of publications that had signed up to get a permit for racks and the first thing I thought was “I wonder if The Onion’s on here.” I don’t think I saw them then, so itt wouldn’t surprise me if this is one of their first sidewalk racks.

Comments

erin writes:

One went up on Vermont (at Franklin) in Los Feliz about a month ago--picking it up on the way to work makes my Thursday :)

# on Sep.14.2006 AT 02:55 PM

jim writes:

there's also one outside the daily grill (or is that the one you're talking about?).

i also noticed that lost souls cafe had a stack of them, but i don't know if they're a regular drop-off point or if someone just liberated some from a rack somewhere else.

# on Sep.14.2006 AT 03:48 PM

Eric Richardson writes:

erin: interesting. either a) I just missed it, b) that city list was out of date or c) The Onion doesn't actually have their permit. I'd tend toward (a) or (b); the new racks match the rest of the City rules so I think they know what they're doing.

jim: No, this is one block east. Interesting to have two on consecutive blocks, though. I'd suspect they're trying to saturate the area around The Standard.

# on Sep.14.2006 AT 03:56 PM

Ginny-Marie Case writes:

Alex and I looked at the "approved list" of paper vendors....The Onion isn't on the list. :-(

We should start a letter writing campaign.

# on Sep.14.2006 AT 10:06 PM

Eric Richardson writes:

Ginny: Thanks for keeping me from digging around the apartment for my copy of the list. I'd have to figure they got the go-ahead but weren't quite done with the whole process.

# on Sep.14.2006 AT 10:33 PM

Ed Fuentes writes:

The Lost Souls group noticed "The Onion" stand while running the stream for the photo exhibit. And there is a wire Onion rack at Blooms alongside the alternative newspapers.

# on Sep.14.2006 AT 11:18 PM

Drug user rehab writes:

They have copies inside Mashti Malone's on La Brea!

# on Sep.17.2006 AT 06:00 AM

celia writes:

They have a stack of them inside Angelique Cafe.

# on Sep.17.2006 AT 11:53 AM

dtprof writes:

There are stacks of them in Commons on USC's University Park campus.

# on Sep.17.2006 AT 05:46 PM