Bukowski’s literature captured the spirit of the “underground” culture of Los Angeles. He published many of his short stories and poems in underground magazines throughout the 60’s-80’s and established himself as an alternative voice for the city. While his depictions follow the standard depricating lens of the city as shallow, immoral, and mundane, he also presents a realistic perspective of everyday life for many people that are “down and out” and survive one day at a time. For this reason, his literature s important to Los Angeles.

Below are some places around Los Angeles that are frequently mentioned throughout his body of works.

Hollywood

Bukowski lived for almost a decade at the now legendary De Longpre apartment. The small apartment at 5124 De Longpre Ave. rented for $29 a month at the time. In 2007, it became a historical cultural monument of Los Angeles literary history to be preserved for posterity. Post Office, Notes from a Dirty Old Man, South of No North, Mockingbird Wish Me Luck, The Days Run Away like Horses, and Factotum were all written here.

A place that Bukowski frequented later in his life once he started making money from overseas and movies.

Los Feliz

CloThe liquor store, a favorite haunt of Bukowski’s, appears in his 1978 novel Women. It was, by many accounts, his favorite liquor store in the neighborhood.

Head north toward Los Feliz Boulevard to the one-of-a-kind campus of the University of Philosophical Research/Philosophical Research Society.,the center of wisdom and mysticism founded by the Los Angeles philosopher and occultist Manly P. Hall. Hall himself married Bukowski and Linda Lee on Aug. 18, 1985.

Downtown L.A.

Several bars in the area claim him as a regular, but Cole’s – one of L.A.’s longest-standing historic bars – was apparently one of Bukowski’s favorites.

The main setting for Post Office is based in this building. Bukowski HATED this place.