THE SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO. MAIL ORDER BUILDING LOCATED IN BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES WAS BUILT IN 1927 AS A DISTRIBUTION CENTER FOR THE COMPANY'S MAIL ORDER DEPARTMENT. IT SERVED THE PURPOSE UNTIL 1992. THERE'S ONLY SEARS RETAIL STORE THAT STILL OPERATES ON THE GROUND FLOOR, AND THE REST OF THE ENORMOUS NINE-STORY COMPLEX (1,800,000 SQUARE-FOOT) HAS REMAINED VACANT EVER SINCE. THE BOOK EXAMINES ALL OF WHAT USED TO OCCUPY THE BUILDING UNTIL 1992 THAT NOW LIVES OUTSIDE AMONG THE BOYLE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY AS A MIRRORED IMAGE OF THE AMERICAN LIFE.
