A Sad Day for Bay Area Book Lovers



I just found out that Kepler's, a Menlo Park, CA independent bookseller, closed its doors abruptly today, stunning employees and customers alike. This has long been a favorite bookstore of mine, even though it's a 25 mile drive one way to get there, and I consequently didn't get there very often. I found out about the store a few years ago, when I worked practically around the corner from it in Menlo Park (so I was able to go there nearly every day if I wanted). In recent years, getting there was a major expedition, and I might manage it only once or twice a year.

By the account I've read, it's not lack of business that killed them, but rather that bugaboo of all Bay Area businesses: high rent. Other than that, I really believe that this is one independent bookstore that could have weathered the onslaught of the Borders/Barnes and Noble/Amazon juggernaut. But it evidently was not to be.

Sad, very sad.

Posted: Wed - August 31, 2005 at 03:08 PM        

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