Glad to See You A-Go-Go

by Skylaire Alfvegren

While Mondo has brought some bad mojo upon itself, neighbors have also attibuted the work of local hooligans to the store. They’ve been harassed by a group of Armenian gangsters for the past year, who’ve hurled trash and mackerel at the store, and last week nailed a rotten pig’s snout to the tree out front. One event in 2001 drew two carloads of party-crashers who spied a naked man inside the store. The next morning, ‘Homo Video’ was scrawled on the back wall. "There was a guy working here, Randy, who is gay. He felt threatened and he no longer works here." "Hate crimes, daily," as Mondo-ite Brother Terry put it. The harassment continued right up to their final weekend. Beck provoked the wrath of one hothead consumer, who hurled a cardboard standee at people in the store. "We can’t even leave in peace!"

While the denizens of Mondo aren’t entirely innocent, they seem to have endured unfair treatment from the neighborhood they helped to popularize. "It’s the people that have been here two, three years… they don’t respect what we stand for and what we did for the neighborhood."

"The Los Feliz business community has a long-term plan, and Mondo doesn’t fit into it," says Erek. "Like next door is going to be an upscale clothing boutique called Asian Tops, Jewish Bottoms, because they’re trying to cater to everyone."

One neighborhood artist who wished to remain anonymous claimed to have seen the cops come in and out of the store four times in the past couple of months. "Cops love this store," says Erek. "I shit you not! We have cops who are members. The true crime section, our serial killer profiles, the S&M porn. A lot of them come in for research purposes."

An heroic "grassroots effort" among Family members to move the contents of the store to the new location—4328 Melrose Avenue—this past weekend prevented any parting gestures, including a planned "candlelight vigil" for Los Feliz Village, starring the ashes of cult actor/porn pioneer Titus Moody (for whom Mondo staged a benefit in 2000). The new location--twice as large and strategically positioned between an Hispanic church, a Masonic temple and a pizza joint—is already open for business.

"It’s walking distance from the Faultline," Brother Terry reminds me. ‘Cruising Sunday’ will remain a tradition. "Every Sunday from 3-5 we come dressed in whatever gay stereotype we can think of and watch the Al Pacino vehicle "Cruising," which is about New York’s gay leather scene."

As for Los Feliz, "You can polish a turd, but it’s still a turd," says Schaffner. "There’s nothing there anymore, it’s like wringing out a dry towel." He predicts a turnover among businesses as derelicts are attracted by the easy marks and expensive cars. "Those dirty bums, they just start peein'!" Rob’s father, Art, a dead ringer for Russ Meyer, pipes up. "Mondo has been a scapegoat for this whole neighborhood. It’ll be interesting to see who gets blamed once we’re gone."

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