Publishing News

General News

September 15-30, 2005 Edition GENERAL NEWS Kepler’s Book

Store Closes

After 50 Years MENLO PARK, CA/9/3/05—Kepler’s Bookstore on El Camino Real road in the heart of Silicon Valley, closed its doors August 31 after having served the community for 50 years.

The store, just a short distance from Stanford University, was founded by Roy Kepler in 1955, and has been run by his son Clark, since Roy’s death in 1994.

Clark Kepler said the business had been unable to rebound from Silicon Valley’s dot-com bust and the economic downturn of 2001. He said as much as the family wanted to continue for another 50 years, they simply could not. Some observers said the store had been hurt by the Internet and the rise of Amazon.com, more than by large bookstore chains which have replaced so many independent booksellers.