Sun 11 Sep 2005
San Francisco Chronicle: The end—or is it?
Posted by Rick under Books, General, Save Kepler's
[5] Comments
Heidi Benson’s article in Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle describes the current efforts to save Kepler’s and begins:
It wasn’t just a bookstore: It was a verb.
Strolling through Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park — after dinner or a movie — was once called “keppling” by one die-hard fan of the Menlo Park store. But all keppling ceased on Aug. 31 when the store abruptly closed after a half-century in business.
Now there’s a chance that Kepler’s, and “keppling,” may return to Menlo Park, thanks to fans of the store — including a fired-up group of potential investors and a lone ranger who launched an online life raft — who have mobilized to try to reopen its doors.
Click here for the full article, which is required reading for anyone interested in saving the Kepler’s.
Related posts:
- San Jose Mercury: Burst of community support after Kepler’s closing could spur its return HongDao Nguyen has an article in today’s San Jose Mercury...
- The Almanac/Palo Alto Weekly: A ‘miracle’ ray of hope for Kepler’s? Clark Kepler told the Almanac today that serious investors have...
- The Almanac: Can this bookstore be saved? Andrea Gemmet has a story on the Almanac’s site about...
- Message from Menlo Park Mayor, Mickie Winkler This just arrived in my inbox: From: mickie650 @aol.com Date:...
- San Francisco Examiner: Rally planned to help save Kepler’s Books The Examiner ran a brief story about the rally scheduled...
September 11th, 2005 at 8:33 am
Kepler’s Bookstore hasn’t left because we won’t let it. Instead of paying a 30k monthly rent for the location have the investors buy the whole property so that you have control. The other option is to move to a location that has half the rent or less. The real problem with Kepler’s has been insufficient parking. I propose that Kepler’s move to Stanford Mall and I’m sure that Cafe Barrone will follow in step. The two are deeply entwined for their survival.
September 11th, 2005 at 9:16 am
Hey, this is so great! I have cross posted over at TGAP. I do hope Kepler’s makes it! Onward!
September 11th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
One of the saddest and most disappointing news items I have read recently is the pending
demise of one of the finest bookstores in the nation. I am 70 years old, have lived and
traveled all over this country and abroad, am the product of a classical education with a
deep and broad education in English, European, and American literature, as well as having
been raised in a family of college-educated people including my resident maternal
grandmother who – as a retired teacher – imbued me with the love of good books, reading,
and writing at a very early age.
For over 40 years my primary occupation has been in technical writing, editing, and
publication throughout the high-tech industry. Being fully retired now, as a result of
the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, I have been pursuing my avocation of creative writing.
For a brief period of time I lived within an easy walk of Kepler’s and spent many, many
hours browsing the stacks, and then buying those books that appealed to me and to the
limit I could afford.
I have known of the nation-wide struggle by the independent booksellers to maintain their
commercial viability in the face of competition from the massive bookselling chains. That
is why I have tried to buy all my books at Kepler’s. The message is clear: if each
individual does not do their part to support an independent merchant like Kepler’s by
buying there, that merchant won’t survive. Therefore, I have been exceedingly pleased
to witness the groundswell of support from the local community to save Kepler’s. Its
place in our community is irreplaceable. With its personalized service and attention to
what its customers want including an on-going series of author’s appearances and other
programs, it fills a needed niche in our mid-peninsula social and educational community
addressed by no other merchant. As an example, within the last six months I had the
pleasure of attending the appearances by Lauren Bacall, a favorite of mine thru my young
movie-going and New York Broadway Theater-going years, as well as Jane Fonda, with whom I
had the pleasure of attending a mid-summer, 1952, teenage beach party when we were both
in our mid-teens. And, of course, I purchased from Kepler’s stock both these actresses’
books, as well as bringing along with me a friend from South San Francisco where I now
live who also bought a book.
In summary, like so many others in the book-loving world who care about such things, if
Kepler’s cannot be saved to go on serving its reading customers, I must cry at the
propsect as that 11-year-old girl did when her father told her about Kepler’s pending
demise. We and the entire community shall be the poorer for it. SAVE KEPLER’S!!!
September 11th, 2005 at 2:12 pm
It sounds to me like the Tan Group is not planning on reducing the rent to something reasonable, regardless of their public statements. It seems that what they say in pubic and what they do, according to reputable sources, are two different things. So, how about an effort to find another place for the store, is that possible, both in terms of legal issues with the lease, and available space? A smaller Keplers would still be a great Keplers.
September 13th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
So sad to hear about Kepler’s. When visiting the Bay Area always looked forward to going to Barrone’s for a cuppa and then browse the books. Too bad greed got in the way with the rent deals. Lets hope we can save this one:)