By Gregory Han
Lest you believe there isn’t any humor to be found in the business of death, there on the second floor of the old Los Angeles General Hospital in Boyle Heights, respectfully behind a closed door, the city’s Coroner’s Office operates an inconspicuous souvenir shop.
Skeletons In The Closet Gift Store’s origins are tied to the most mundane of items: the coffee mug. Given away as a parting gift for attendees participating in a county training program, the mug immediately proved a highly desirable and oft requested souvenir, becoming the first item sold at the coroner’s shoebox-sized retail arm initially catering to those in the professional fields of investigating death and homicide. And it was back in 1992 when former secretary Marilyn Lewis designed a beach towel adorned with an illustration of a crime scene chalk outline (which remains a best seller). With every unexpected appearance at beaches near and far, the morbid design helped spread word about Skeletons In The Closet Gift Store’s gallows humor merchandise, even showing upon the pages of international tourist guide books as a left field Los Angeles macabre destination.
Coroner gift shop mugs and beach towels are joined by all varieties of t-shirts, “undertaker” boxer shorts, crime scene tape, baseball caps, key chains, and toe tags adorned with crime scene chalk outlines, the L.A. County Coroner seal, or groan-deserving inscriptions. There’s the “Stolen From Los Angeles County Coroner” (charm tag), “We’re dying for your business” (mousepad), or the store’s own slogan, “Part of you thinks it’s in poor taste, part of you wants an X-Large” (okay, that last one produced a stifled chuckle). Sadly, Freddy the Forensic Bear has been discontinued, so you may have to scour eBay for that collector’s item.
Visitors are welcome Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. at the shop, which is located at 1104 N. Mission Rd. Los Angeles, CA 90033; orders can also be made via their online store. Park in the Visitor’s Parking section and get a parking permit (available at the front window upon entering the building). And be sure to respect the fact that this gift shop is but a small part of the serious dramas and tragedies unfolding within the walls of the Department of Coroner.
More on The Bold Italic’s Los Angeles coverage here.
Photo: “Caveman Chuck” Coker
