Laurel Canyon’s tiny, mural-splashed Canyon Country Store, a de facto living room for the neighborhood, has quietly been listed for sale, and at least one longtime co-owner says he was left in the dark. Neighbors and staff spotted a posted notice for an ownership change this week, and word spread fast among locals who treat the market as much more than a place to grab coffee.
The listing first surfaced on social media and was later confirmed by a store employee, according to SFGATE. The outlet reports that a public application to transfer the market’s alcohol license was taped up near the juice and coffee bar, and that reporters were unable to reach co-owner David Shamsa for comment. SFGATE also notes that a Vintage Los Angeles video caught co-owner Tommy Bina reacting in real time to the posted notice.
The reaction landed hard because the Canyon Country Store is stitched into Laurel Canyon lore. The Doors immortalized it with the lyric “this store where the creatures meet,” and the shop has long displayed photos and artifacts from the canyon’s music history, according to the Los Angeles Times. Bina has stewarded the market for decades, helping keep its bohemian, communal vibe intact, so for many residents the store feels less like a business and more like a piece of neighborhood identity that somehow never left the 1970s.
Owner Says He Was Blindsided
In video comments cited by SFGATE, Bina says, “It happens without my knowledge,” adding that he is lining up legal representation to go through the paperwork. He told the outlet he is asking neighbors to “come and support your neighborhood store” because business has been struggling. Staffers, for their part, say they will keep serving regulars while the situation gets sorted.
What The Posted Paperwork Shows
The application posted inside the shop references an ownership change connected to the market’s liquor license, and that single piece of paper has suddenly made the idea of an outside buyer feel very real. The store’s own site lists Tommy Bina as a longtime owner and describes the market as the canyon’s community hub, with the homepage underscoring its role in local life on the Canyon Country Store website. For now, the counter still turns out sandwiches, bundles of firewood and the eccentric British candy bars that have become part of the shop’s legend.
Why Locals Are Watching
Laurel Canyon residents say the market functions as a neighborhood living room, a place where longtime locals swap gossip and newcomers get a crash course in the canyon’s musical past. The Los Angeles Times has documented how Bina has curated that distinctive look since the 1980s, which helps explain why the prospect of a sale feels like a cultural turning point. For now, the tills are still ringing and the patio is still a Sunday gathering spot, but with the notice hanging by the counter, the community is watching every next step very closely.
