Chinese bookstores in the San Gabriel Valley evolve

To make her business a success, Helen Duong, owner of Beijing Books in Alhambra, teaches English and Chinese, hosts calligraphy and art lessons and offers free classes on how to pass the citizenship test in a classroom space she created in the back of the store. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Shu Chao Lee and Fan Wei Meng sit and read, at right, as another customer goes through Chinese-language newspapers at Beijing Books in Alhambra. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Helen Duong, owner of Beijing Books, goes over homework with Fang Yan Ming, center, and Ci Shu Ming. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Crafts are for sale at Beijing Books in Alhambra. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

“A bookstore, you can do anything with it,” says Helen Duong, owner of Beijing Books in Alhambra. “It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s something people need.” (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Ray Lew, right, works with Ci Shu Ming on a lesson at Beijing Books. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

A customer named Pan looks through newspapers at Beijing Books in Alhambra. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Rebecca Zhang displays one of the products she sells -- a pink mop -- at her bookstore, World Books. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Some of the merchandise at Rebecca Zhang’s bookstore, World Books. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

“If you want to sell books these days, you’re doomed,” says Rebecca Zhang, who owns World Books. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)