There will be a rally today, Tuesday, September 6, at 5 pm outside the bookstore. The rally will be followed at approximately 6 pm by a work session at Menlo Park City Hall (701 Laurel St., Menlo Park) to marshal community resources in support of this beloved local institution. The work session should be attended by all who want to help or learn how to help the bookstore. That goes double for potential investors and those with business, legal, or other expertise that may relate to bookstore operations. People with ideas and suggestions, this is the event for you. People who want to hear ideas and suggestions, this is also the event for you. Clark Kepler will be there.
When: Tuesday, September 6, beginning at 5 pm (Space in the garage under Kepler’s is limited, so plan to allow extra time for parking.)
Where: Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025
What to bring: Your support for Kepler’s and its owner, Clark Kepler. Perhaps a sign.
For more information, click here to download the press release for the event. For even more information, please contact Michael Closson or Rick Opaterny.
Here’s the flyer posted at Kepler’s. Click on the image for a larger version. You can also download the flyer and help spread the word by posting it around town.
Kepler’s has been my bookstore of choice since my high school days 47 years ago, but more than that
Kepler’s has been a forum, a magnet for discussion and free exchange of ideas. We must save this
institution.
Comment by Eli Hruska — 9/5/2005 @ 5:34 am
My husband and I have been going into and buying books at Keplers since we met 8 years ago and I have been a customer there for many years before I met my husband. We have attended a large number of author readings there and have both read poetry at the poetry readings. My 13 month old daughter has already become enamored of the children’s book section – of which we visited less than a week ago. I felt great sadness over hearing that this landmark was closing last week. The world is becoming much too impersonal and this great store was a place where community was felt – I pray it will be saved and not go away due to larger chain or Internet based bookstores.
Comment by Kelli and Andy Suchy — 9/5/2005 @ 8:24 pm
I really enjoy going to Kelper’s book store; because last time I when when the Duchness of York was there book signing, and the Harry Potter night when a new book hit the selves. So I been too buzy to see what is new books on these selves. I like the people working at Kepler’s they a very helpful if can’t find a book or newspaper or magazine. My friend and I be really sad if its closed the door; so where we go friendly bookstore.
Comment by Greta von Amberg — 9/5/2005 @ 8:42 pm
friends, i share the range of sentiments expressed here, from the tremendous sense of loss, to utter disbelief; but today we face some harsh realities. we must all adapt or be rendered irrelevant by market forces that do not respond to our organic and even pristine sincerity, alone. those deeply held sentiments, clarified through the filter of reasoned analysis, must manifest themselves as productive actions. one thing that we must all do as supporters of kepler’s and of independent book sellers in general is to get EDUCATED about the fundamentals of this business sector. book selling is not a charitable activity and we neither want to veto market forces, nor render them void, nor do we want to put local governments in the position of rescuing favored enterprises through special tax deals, regardless of the nature of those enterprises. ray needs to be willing to consider doing things significantly differently in the future. “if ya’ always do what ya’ always done, you’ll always git what’chya always got.”
besides, maybe after FIFTY YEARS the kepler’s are a little tired. would that be a crime? maybe someone is waiting in the wings and this could be their golden opportunity to build a truly sustainable local book seller. there are many possibilities in play, here, let’s not hunker down so deeply in the comfort of the familiar as to lose sight of the prospect for NEW POSSIBILITIES.
ultimately, we are witnessing the market at work here, and it is the market that heralds the potential of transforming the noble act of writing into a viable career for so many. dear friends, let us not lose focus, let us EMBRACE PROFIT MOTIVE because it is that motive alone which makes such a vast distribution of rich and diverse ideas possible in book form. in the coming days, let us express our sorrow and reinforce the primacy of community, but then let us work together to CREATE A BUSINESS MODEL that makes for a healthy and profitable local center of culture, context, connection, and community.
one reasonable place to start:
http://news.bookweb.org/m-bin/by_topic?topic_id=55
i am not saying that we do not organize, voice our opinions, and express our feelings. what i am saying is that despite the local news bites along the lines of, “what kepler’s needs is financial support,” the reality is that what every indie book seller like kepler’s truly needs is a SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL in this new environment. so let’s put our heads together and create that model. kepler’s (or some independent in that space) could well become a model of the next-generation independent bookstore if we don’t allow the process to become emotionally or politically hijacked.
-mv
“reality is that which, when you stop believing in it,
doesn’t go away.” – phillip k. dick
Comment by metavalent — 9/6/2005 @ 4:15 pm
Please keep me informed on the opening/closing of Kepler’s book store. My wife and I have been buying books at Kepler’s for nearly 30 years. We can’t imagine no Keplerws.
Grant Allison
Comment by Grant Allison — 9/6/2005 @ 6:04 pm
I fully support local places. Save the bookstore!
Comment by Mei Chen — 9/6/2005 @ 8:38 pm