June 12, 2003
Star of the Canyon
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The Canyon Country Store -- the star-studded grocery featured in the older woman/younger man film "Laurel Canyon," starring Frances McDormand -- is actually run by two Persian Jews.
Owner David Shamsa and manager Tommy Bina have tried to maintain the store's authenticity.
Shamsa, who was an influential Persian Jew in Iran during the shah's regime, was the head of National Iranian Steel Mill Corporation and director of Iran Hotel Corporation, hosting many American officials such as Henry Kissinger, and Sens. Barry Goldwater and Ted Kennedy.
Just a few months before the Islamic revolution, Shamsa fled to the United States and, in 1982, bought the building in Laurel Canyon.
The only store nestled in the verdant Laurel Canyon, Canyon Country Store, built in 1919, has served as a location for several films and is also a hangout for many artists, musician and actors. The cozy, friendly place is reminiscent of a small-town store -- whose patrons have included celebrities like Liam Neeson, Sophia Loren and Mick Jagger. Downstairs is a restaurant, Pace ("peace" in Italian), and adjacent is a wood house where Jim Morrison used to live.
Bina told The Journal he feels a responsibility for the entire neighborhood. Together with other locals, he has formed a voluntary group to clean up Laurel Canyon's surrounding area, for which he has received an award.
"The city doesn't take care of this area very well," he said. "We do this to protect the environment."
