Supporters of Menlo Park Store Formalize As Kepler's 2020 Project

PublishersLunch

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.
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