Like many a pop star and influencer before him, Bret Easton Ellis has a brand-new merch store.
The acclaimed author, screenwriter and podcast host launched the shop last month in partnership with ecommerce logistics company Shipmonk. In addition to a line of custom bookmarks and T-shirts — including one with the phrase “This is not an exit,” per the title of a 1999 documentary about Ellis — there are first-edition, rare and autographed copies of some of his best-known works like Glamorama, American Psycho, The Rules of Attraction, Less Than Zero and Lunar Park.
The shop is the brainchild of Ellis’ partner, Todd Michael Schultz, who convinced Ellis to do something with the stacks of excess books he had filling up his office. “He’s a tremendous writer and with that comes a global audience of fans who love him. They are very engaged, and there was a demand for some of these books,” Schultz explains, adding that some of the books may not be printed again.
He’s also hoping that circulating the works helps boost the art of reading and writing. “It’s not just a cynical money-making scheme. It’s about valuing the book and the tactile pleasure of holding a book in your hand, putting it on your shelf and having a piece to show off at dinner. These books are here to be read.”
This story first appeared in the April 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.