Community building at The Kosher News: «We believe in second chances. We have always given a chance to our employees, even if they were previous drug addicts or alcoholics» Erez Da Costa says
The Kosher News; The rebirth of the newsstand in Los Angeles
The Kosher News has long been around the Jewish quarters in Los Angeles. Situated on the corner of Fairfax and Oakwood Avenue, the newsstand was originally opened in the fifties. It became the Kosher News in 2004, when its current owner, Erez Da Costa, took over after he noticed that the newsstand had shut down. «I started to inquire about the place and decided to open it again, but no longer as only a newsstand but also as a mini convenience store».
After taking over the newsstand, Da Costa and his wife Anne brainstormed a name for the stand and finally landed on The Kosher News because of the Jewish district the newsstand it is located in. «We thought it would be funny since we are in the kosher district. When we saw tourists come to take a picture in front of the name, we knew we had made a smart choice».
From the very beginning, Da Costa wanted to make the Kosher News an inviting neighborhood newsstand. «We want to give the impression that the visitor is entering a sanctuary when they come in. That’s why we put flower and plants on the other part of the sideway».
Moreover, Da Costa shared that he built most of the newsstand himself, knowing from the beginning that he wanted to be able to run the stand from anywhere in the world. Being originally from Israel, the Da Costa had always envisioned going back to the his home country. «From the beginning it was in my mind to build The Kosher News in a way that I can manage it from anywhere».
Magazines meet everyday essentials at Kosher News after the hit of Covid-19 pandemic
The Kosher News is in part a newsstand that sells magazines and newspapers and in part a small convenience store – a decision on Da Costa’s part, that was taken especially after the hit of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Da Costa recalls that, as the stand is outside, they were allowed to remain open during the entirety of the pandemic, so locals could still stop by to get their favorite printed magazines or for whatever essentials they were missing at home. Therefore, the decision to sell other items on the side such as everyday essentials, toiletries and tobacco, has allowed Da Costa to keep The Kosher News running over the years when other newsstands were forced to close.
However, at the beginning, The Kosher News only held magazines. The owner reveals that there was a time when he held around sixteen thousand titles. «I wanted to get as many titles as one can get. From hobby magazines to more expensive European issues, there was no magazine that I wasn’t trying to have for the stand».
The Kosher News currently holds an average of four thousand five hundred magazines on hand, including a vintage section.
Building a community at Kosher News, Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles is home to many but as most cities, it can often feel lonely. This is why The Kosher News aims at representing a familiar meeting point for its community. «The Kosher News is not only a spot to buy your magazine, it is also a place where you can meet and talk. Most of my customers are regulars. I know their story and they know mine».
This is equally true for customers as it is for employees at The Kosher News. Da Costa explains that «on a people level, The Kosher News has always given a chance to its employees, even if they were previous drug addicts or alcoholics, we believe in giving a second chance to people, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but you have to believe»
For these reasons, Da Costa wants to believe The Kosher News is part of what makes the LA based Jewish district feel like a community. «We are located in an area where parking spots are accessible in front and at a walking distance from homes around here. I feel connected to our clients, some of them became friends over the years. I grew up in a kibbutz where everybody talks to everyone, so it only feels natural to be a small part of this growing community».
In its essence, The Kosher News is built for people from all walks of life. It’s as much for locals as it is for tourists. «All parts of society come here. From people in poorer backgrounds to celebrities. From younger people to older generations. When you stand here you feel like you are part of the whole of Los Angeles».
The Kosher District – services evolving according to the neighborhood demand
In LA, neighborhoods are changing and adapting to trends, customers and business opportunities. Since its reopening in 2004, The Kosher News has adapted to the Jewish neighborhood. The is also experimenting, trying out a variety of services. «There was a time when not everyone had Internet and there were three computers here. There was a time when we also tried a hotdog cart, a coffee machine. We are always open to new ideas».
Because of its location, the newsstand often sees celebrities visit, with whom Da Costa loves to have conversations. The Kosher News was even exploited to host small events and as a filming spot. «We can host small events or collaborators can use the Kosher News as a filming or promotional location. We did Netflix’s ‘Arcane’. The singer, Travis Scott, used our location to launch and distribute his latest project. The event attracted so many people, the singer had to be evacuated».
A look to the future: the digitization of The Kosher News
Concerning retail, most people now rely on ordering online and the owner of The Kosher News has not turned a blind eye to this. Moving forward, Da Costa hopes to open an online portal to sell magazines.
«Lately, I understood that not everyone is lucky enough to have a newsstand in the corner and I am working on developing a website where people from all over the world will be able to order their favorite magazines. For now, we already accept orders by email».
The race of the physical newsstand against the digital age
As with other printed material, digitized versions of magazines have continued to grow over the years. Digital versions of magazines are readily available on most electronic devices, there is often additional content and news articles are updated multiple times a day. When asked about his thoughts on how printed magazines stay relevant, Da Costa expresses how he believes that «people usually enjoy reading from a magazine more than online. It is a different experience to sit on your couch than straight on your desk over your laptop. It also has been proven that extended hours in front of your screen can affect your eyes in the long run. I also think that computers are such a big part of your lives now that it feels like taking vacation to move away from them».
Additionally, Da Costa explains that many businesses still have a stack of magazines for their clients. These come in hand when people are in waiting rooms in clinics and need something to do while they wait, creating a need still for printed magazines.
Erez Da Costa. From Israel to Los Angeles, California
Erez Da Costa is originally from Israel. He grew up in a kibbutz and relocated to Los Angeles in 2001 with his wife Anne. When they moved to California, they promised each other that when they finally had a family they would move back to Da Costa’s home country. The couple moved back to Israel in 2009 with their two children and became parents of five. Da Costa now runs The Kosher News from Israel and returns to Los Angeles several times a year.
Erez Da Costa is a man of trades. On top of running the Kosher News, he works in construction in Israel.
The Kosher News
Based in Los Angeles, California, The Kosher News can be found on the corner of Fairfax and Oakwood Avenue. It sells a wide range of magazines as well everyday essentials in the convenience store section of the stand.
