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In Echo Park, there’s a store that simply sells supplies for the everyday time traveler. From medieval weaponry to robot milk (for nursing baby robots, perhaps?) and dinosaur eggs for your Jurassic jaunts, the Echo Park Time Travel Mart has got you covered— whenever you’re going.
But wait, that’s not all! It also doubles as a free youth tutoring center run by 826LA, the So-Cal branch of McSweeney’s editor/literary superstar Dave Eggers’ national network of non-profit programs dedicated to teaching students creative writing skills. I’ve been meaning to check out the Time Travel Mart since it opened this spring, so I finally got around to stopping by last night for the opening reception of a new installation in the storefront window. Los Angeles-based artist Amy Martin created a series of five posters that use a vintage travel agency aesthetic to advertise fabulous destinations throughout history and into the future.

The posters look fantastic up close— they remind me of something Scott Hansen would post on his highly refined design blog, ISO50. Currently on sale for just $20 at 826LA’s online store or at the center itself (1714 W. Sunset Blvd), all profits go towards “helping students 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write,” says Christina Galante, the store’s retail and events manager.
After the jump, check out the stuff on sale at the Time Travel Mart, and take a closer look at Amy Martin’s (time) travel posters.

Mary-Ann with some sort of 18th century doo-hickey.



Ricky Martin lunchbox: a vital key to surviving the savage 1990s.



Dinosaur eggs.











thanks for covering the posters!
have you seen the TED talk by Eggers?
Crazy, I just read the NY Times on 826NYC’s Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.
We’re gonna go check it out after work today. Excitement? Oh, it’s obvious.