Printers Inc. Bookstore
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Printers Inc. Bookstore (1978–2001) was an independent bookstore in Palo Alto and Mountain View, California, that closed in 2001. Printers Inc is referenced in sonnets 8.13-8.16 of Vikram Seth's 1986 novel, The Golden Gate.[1][2][3]
History
In 1978,[4] five Kepler's Books alumni (including Jeffrey Shurtleff and Anne Leathers) founded Printers Inc. Bookstore. The original Palo Alto store at 310 California Avenue[5] occupied a former thrift store location.[6][7][8][9] A second store was located at 301 Castro Street in Mountain View, California.[5] Printers Inc. Bookstore was also a popular destination for Stanford University students.[10] The Printers Inc. Cafe originally shared space in the California Avenue branch in Palo Alto[11] and subsequently moved next door.[5] American author Frances Mayes describes this history in her 2006 memoir, A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller:
In the early 1990s, chain bookstores such as Borders and Barnes & Noble began to compete with independent bookstores such as Printers Inc.[4][6] The rise of Amazon.com also affected Printers Inc. and other independent bookstores.[12] Thus, in December 1998, Printers Inc. announced that it would be closing.[5][10][13] The local community protested the closing, however, as the owners began to search for a new partner.[14] In March 1999 Printers Inc. was resurrected under new management.[15][16] This management lasted until 2001 when Printers Inc. Bookstore closed for good.[17][18][19][20] The Printers Inc. Cafe, however, did not close as it is under different management.[5][17][21]
Documentary
The 2006 documentary Indies Under Fire tells the story of Printers Inc. and other independent bookstores affected by the new economy.[22] Director Jacob Bricca stated that he made the documentary after Printers Inc. closed: "I took the [store's closing] very personally ... I grew up in Palo Alto and spent many hours reading and hanging out at Printers Inc. I saw the strong connection the community had to the bookstore and, like others in the film, was very distressed at its closing."[23]
Photographs
- Photograph of Printers Inc. Bookstore in Palo Alto
- Photographs of Printers Inc. Bookstore - Palo Alto Historical Association
- Photographs inside Printers Inc. Bookstore
See also
References
External links
- "Local artist paints history in mural" - The Stanford Daily, October 2, 1979.
- "DIVERSIONS: Browsing through . . ." - The Stanford Daily, August 13, 1982.
- "For Book Lovers Only" - The Stanford Daily, September 22, 1983.
- "Tomes and Texts To Buy or Browse" - The Stanford Daily, September 23, 1985.
- "Local Bookstores" - The Stanford Daily, January 1, 1986.
- ↑ Seth, Vikram. The Golden Gate, (New York, Vintage, 1991): 179-180
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- Independent bookstores of the United States
- Defunct retail companies of the United States
- Bookstores in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Buildings and structures in Palo Alto, California
- History of the San Francisco Bay Area
- Companies based in Palo Alto, California
- Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Retail companies established in 1978
- Retail companies disestablished in 2001
- 1978 establishments in California
- 2001 disestablishments in California
- Bookstores in California
- Pages with reference errors