Efforts to stabilize, preserve and redefine Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park, CA that we covered in January have taken shape into a formal Kepler’s 2020 initiative, announced via press release and at the store’s web site. “The project aims to create an innovative hybrid business model that includes a for-profit, community-owned-and-operated bookstore, and a nonprofit organization that will feature on-stage author interviews, lectures by leading intellectuals, educational workshops and other literary and cultural events.”
As noted previously, entrepreneur Praveen Madan is leading “a volunteer transition team [that] has begun work on a comprehensive development, financial and operational plan” for the store. Among the initiatives they are considering are: POD, “an e-book friendly in-store browsing experience; concierge services to provide ‘literary matchmaking’ for customers, book swaps and other innovative programs to bring people of all ages together around their shared love of books; and a speaker’s bureau with readership development services for emerging authors.” They are launching a new capital campaign this month to raise $100,000 to support ongoing operations at the store.
Release