Another Menlo Park (and, really, national) treasure is Kepler’s Books. You should click here to read the history of the bookstore. It’s fascinating and inspiring. Here are the highlights…Roy Kepler, peace activitist, opened the store in 1955. It attracted loyal customers from the start, oh, and The Grateful Dead and Joan Baez appeared/performed there regularly. There is a PBS documentary about Kepler’s and in 1990 Kepler’s was named “Bookseller of the Year” by Publisher’s Weekly. “Thanks” to the Internet, they had to close their doors in August of 2005…but after much support and investment from the community, they re-opened their doors two months later. Cool, right?
I love this place. I could spend hours browsing through the stacks and stacks of books.
They have events all the time with all kinds of amazing authors. I mean amazing. Like former-presidents-of-the-United-States amazing.
And the children’s section of the store is a little piece of heaven on earth.
We’re pretty lucky.
This might be my favorite part of the store. The Knuffle Bunnies fighting over who loves Kepler’s more.
So, there’s our bookstore. Are you in love with Menlo Park yet?
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
we are seriously at Kepler’s weekly…I can’t wait for Mockingjay’s Suzanne Collins…
Thanks for loving my family bookstore. Fight evil, read books!
ang – I think of you every time I go to kepler’s – I think your aura must hang about the place. 🙂
dawn – my pleasure! we love your family’s store oh so much! and I love your call to action! 🙂
Have you pre-ordered your copy of Knuffle Bunny Free yet? It comes out in about a month, and I cannot wait!
I just ordered it! 🙂
I am 21 years old and I so appreciate how little keplers has changed throughout all its years. So ften we see Palo Alto and menlo park landmarks reconstruct and remodel but keplers has stayed its clay, well spaced out, intellectual oasis. The obly thing I wish were different is a more offerings of coupons.
There have been some famous and well regarded, fascinating and memorable speakers as well. I will never forget keplers as it has been a stable of my palo Altan growing-up.
I really, really hope that keplers can keep on going forever – you’re right, it’s the best and it’s so great that it hasn’t changed!