Archive for September, 2005
Thursday, September 29th, 2005
San Jose Mercury: “something big” is about to happen
According to the San Jose Mercury News, Clark Kepler has said that “something big” is about to be announced with regard to the Kepler’s story. Lookout for an annoucement soon.
1 Comment » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Friday, September 23rd, 2005
Friday’s Tidbits
The San Jose Mercury News mentioned Kepler’s in an editorial arguing for an internet tax. The absence of such a tax allows people to buy from online stores such as, ahem, Amazon without contributing to their local economies.
Consider the recent closure of Kepler’s, Menlo Park’s storied bookseller: It’s clear that the 8.25 percent price [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Monday, September 19th, 2005
Kepler’s Press Release
Kepler’s has issued a press release announcing the formation of a Patron’s Circle of local investors and a Board of Directors as part of the efforts to save the store. The story was picked up by the San Jose Mercury and the Palo Alto Weekly among others. Details on membership and volunteer opportunities will be [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 15th, 2005
Save Kepler’s Mailing List and How to Help
Thank you to all who attended the rally last week and to those who could not attend but were there in spirit. We mentioned writing in through this website as one way to get on the mailing list for saving Kepler’s. Please email us and say Hi if you would like to be on [...]
23 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Wednesday, September 14th, 2005
San Jose Mercury: Rescuing Kepler’s
The San Jose Mercury ran a short piece updating the current Kepler’s situation. In it, Clark Kepler is quoted as saying, “I don’t think any other attitude than optimism is appropriate. It’s just an incredible outpouring, and I want to do everybody right by making it work.” This one’s optimistic. Click here for the full [...]
3 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Monday, September 12th, 2005
Monday, Monday: The State of the Independents and More…
In addition to Sunday’s article in the San Francisco Chronicle, there has been some other media coverage of the Kepler’s story over the past few days. (If you only have time for one story, make it the Chronicle one, though.) David Morrill has an article on Inside Bay Area about the current state of independent [...]
4 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Sunday, September 11th, 2005
San Francisco Chronicle: The end—or is it?
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 [...]
5 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Saturday, September 10th, 2005
Bookselling This Week: Community Support Gives Kepler’s Hope of Reopening
Bookselling This Week has posted an article about the possibility of Kepler’s reopening. The article cites an email from Clark Kepler in which he says, “I am optimistic that we can reopen.” Likewise, Clark’s note to readers on Keplers.com is now more hopeful than it was last weekend.
No Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Saturday, September 10th, 2005
Call for Qualified Investors
The group with whom Clark Kepler is engaged in talks to save the bookstore is reportedly seeking Qualified Investors capable of making very large contributions. If you fit the bill or think you can help, please email us for further info.
Sunday Evening Note: Posts are not necessarily in chronological order because I am trying [...]
8 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Friday, September 9th, 2005
Palo Alto Weekly: Come together for Kepler’s
Today’s edition of the Palo Alto Weekly has another article about Tuesday’s rally:
Rachel Bolten, a Castilleja School senior, said she and her friends would work at Kepler’s for free.
Jan Altman, from the company DrivAd, and Richard Cline offered advertising and public relations help.
And an 11-year-old Hillview Middle School student said he’d hold a school [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 8th, 2005
A Message from Dawn Kepler
Dear Book Lovers,
I want to thank everyone on behalf of my brother, Clark, and our family, for the outpouring of affection and support for Kepler’s. I stood in the plaza and remembered the very first store, saw folks from my father’s time, and just cried to hear the kind words spoken. My brother [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Wednesday, September 7th, 2005
Local Coverage of Tuesday’s Rally
The local coverage of Tuesday’s rally is starting to roll in. Click on article headlines below for links to full text. First, however, here are a couple photos courtesy of Eric Hegwer Photography. Click on the images for larger versions.
San Jose Mercury News: Noted Book Dealer Backed:
People stepped up at a rally [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Tuesday, September 6th, 2005
Palo Alto Weekly: Nearly 450 rally to help save Kepler’s
Palo Alto Online has posted a story about today’s rally complete with pictures:
Nearly 450 residents of the Menlo Park/Palo Alto area rallied in support of re-opening Kepler’s Bookstore in downtown Menlo Park late Tuesday afternoon — while a steady stream of passing drivers on El Camino Real honked supportive horns.
….
At one point, the crowd [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Tuesday, September 6th, 2005
Rally For Kepler’s Today, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 5 pm
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 [...]
6 Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Sunday, September 4th, 2005
Memories of Kepler’s and Weekend Photos
People from all over have been sending in their memories of Kepler’s. Click here to read some of them.
Here are some photos from this weekend. Click on images for larger versions.
A message to the person who put up the large savekeplers.com sign on the front of the store: Thank you. We give you a [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Sunday, September 4th, 2005
San Francisco Examiner: Rally planned to help save Kepler’s Books
The Examiner ran a brief story about the rally scheduled for Tuesday.
Bibliophiles throughout the Peninsula are gearing up to try to save Kepler’s Books, a nationally acclaimed bookstore that suddenly announced impending bankruptcy and closure last week.
This Tuesday, a rally in support of the 50-year-old bookstore will be held at 5 p.m. in front [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Sunday, September 4th, 2005
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 News.
Days after Kepler’s, the landmark bookstore in Menlo Park, shuttered its doors amid financial woes, owner Clark Kepler said Saturday there’s still hope of reviving the business.
Kepler said he has received an outpouring of community support since the store’s abrupt closure Wednesday. And the [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Saturday, September 3rd, 2005
Message from Menlo Park Mayor, Mickie Winkler
This just arrived in my inbox:
From: mickie650 @aol.com
Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 20:37:38 EDT
To: help @savekeplers.com
Subject: Kepler’s Update from Menlo Park Mayor
Dear Menlo Park and Local Residents,
We have all been saddened, even alarmed, by the closing of Kepler’s so soon after we celebrated the store’s 50th. The actual decision to lock the doors was shocking, [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
New York Times Coverage
John Markoff has an article about the closing of Kepler’s in Saturday’s New York Times. Most of the piece recounts the bookstore’s history, but it ends like this:
The reaction of Steven Fields, a longtime customer, was typical on Wednesday. After having lunch at Cafe Borrone next door, he told his 11-year-old daughter, Hanna, that [...]
10 Comments » - Posted in Books, Save Kepler's by Rick
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
The Almanac: Can this bookstore be saved?
Andrea Gemmet has a story on the Almanac’s site about the possibility of saving the bookstore.
There’s a chance — a chance — that Kepler’s Books & Magazines in downtown Menlo Park may not be as dead as everyone feared.
The sudden demise of the popular independent bookstore following Clark Kepler’s short, emotional announcement at a [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
The Almanac/Palo Alto Weekly: A ‘miracle’ ray of hope for Kepler’s?
Clark Kepler told the Almanac today that serious investors have come forward and expressed interest in saving the bookstore:
A ray of hope has emerged that Kepler’s Bookstore in Menlo Park could be resurrected.
Owner Clark Kepler told the Almanac weekly newspaper (sister paper of the Palo Alto Weekly) Friday that three “qualified investors” have come [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
Help Save Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park
People, people—
After having spent last night mourning at Borrone’s, I am ready to see what we, the people of the community, might be able to do to save my favorite bookstore. Until we learn more from Clark Kepler about his plans, I’m not sure what, if anything will be possible. However, I am interested in [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Save Kepler's by Rick
Friday, September 2nd, 2005
Friday’s Pictures
People have added more messages outside the store. Click on images for larger versions.
No Comments » - Posted in Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Like a vigil
Here’s what the area near the main entrance to Kepler’s looked like this evening around 7 pm. Click on images for larger versions.
No Comments » - Posted in Books, General, Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Bloggers mourn the loss of Kepler’s
Neil Gaiman noted the cancellation of his tour stop at Kepler’s on his blog.
Dara, a former Kepler’s employee, in LA encourages us to all support our local independents.
Another former longtime employee posts here.
This blogger sighs and compares the closing of Kepler’s to that of Wordsworth in Harvard Square last year. [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
How Kepler’s Changed the World
Palo Alto Online posted a history of Kepler’s by Michael Doyle that was originally sold at the bookstore as a small paperback booklet to commerate its 50th anniversary earlier this year. Palo Alto Online is also looking for Kepler’s-related comments and memories, which can be sent to editor@paweekly.com.
No Comments » - Posted in Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Soccer magazines from England
The final paragraphs of the article that appeared in the Mercury today:
The steady stream of visitors who approached the locked doors on Wednesday included Menlo Park public librarian Cathy Smith. “It breaks my heart,” she said. She and the other city librarians came to Kepler’s on their lunch break. And, of course, it’s where [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Clark Kepler Filing for Chapter 7
Both the Palo Alto Online and the Palo Alto Daily News reported todat that Clark Kepler is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This from the Palo Alto Online:
Kepler’s Bookstore owner Clark Kepler reportedly is telling employees to cash their checks immediately because he is filing for bankruptcy today, according to two-year employee Chelsea McNeel.
[...]
No Comments » - Posted in Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Does the community have a chance to save Kepler’s?
It seems to me that it would if it did. After all, the Kepler’s location is adjacent to one of the wealthiest (and most expensive) zip codes in the country.
1 Comment » - Posted in Save Kepler's by Rick
Thursday, September 1st, 2005
Local coverage of Kepler’s closing
Here are the local headlines with links to articles:
Palo Alto Online: Kepler’s Bookstore goes out of business
San Francisco Chronicle: Read it and weep: Kepler’s closes
San Jose Mercury News: Closing the Book on Kepler’s
San Mateo County Times: Kepler’s closes doors with no warning
CBS 5: Longtime Menlo Park Bookstore Abruptly Shuts Down
The San Francisco Examiner: Much-loved [...]
