Printers Inc. Bookstore
Encyclopedia
Printers Inc. Bookstore was an independent bookstore
in Palo Alto, California
, not far from Stanford University
.
s in San Francisco (author Vikram Seth
based the work on his experiences as a graduate student in Economics
at Stanford University
). The Printer's Inc Cafe is referenced in section 8.13 ("Should we walk down to Printers Inc, and get some coffee? [...] brownies, muffins, fudge, cake, toffee-most of the stuff's so good it hurts") and the Printers Inc Bookstore is referenced in section 8.14 ("The enchanted bookstore, vast, retangular [...] skilled extractor of my last dime on print or drink, mini-Montmartre, Printers Inc!")
in nearby Menlo Park
. The original store was located on California Avenue in Palo Alto. A second store was located on Castro Street in Mountain View, California
.
In December 1998, Printers Inc. announced that it would be closing. The local community protested the closing and in March 1999 Printers Inc. found new management.
This management lasted until 2001 when Printers Inc. Bookstore closed for good.
Independent bookstore
An independent bookstore is a retail bookstore which is independently owned.-Literary and countercultural history:Author events at independent bookstores sometimes take the role of literary salons. The bookstores themselves, "have historically supported and cultivated the work of independent...
in Palo Alto, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, not far from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
The Golden Gate
Printers Inc is mentioned in the novel, The Golden Gate. The novel follows the lives of a group of yuppieYuppie
Yuppie is a term that refers to a member of the upper middle class or upper class in their 20s or 30s. It first came into use in the early-1980s and largely faded from American popular culture in the late-1980s, due to the 1987 stock market crash and the early 1990s recession...
s in San Francisco (author Vikram Seth
Vikram Seth
Vikram Seth is an Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, children's writer, biographer and memoirist.-Early life:Vikram Seth was born on 20 June 1952 to Leila and Prem Seth in Calcutta...
based the work on his experiences as a graduate student in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
). The Printer's Inc Cafe is referenced in section 8.13 ("Should we walk down to Printers Inc, and get some coffee? [...] brownies, muffins, fudge, cake, toffee-most of the stuff's so good it hurts") and the Printers Inc Bookstore is referenced in section 8.14 ("The enchanted bookstore, vast, retangular [...] skilled extractor of my last dime on print or drink, mini-Montmartre, Printers Inc!")
History and closure
Printers Inc. was founded by "alumni" of Kepler's BooksKepler's Books
Kepler's Books and Magazines is an independent bookstore in Menlo Park, California. It was founded on May 14, 1955 by Roy Kepler, who had previously been a staff member of the Berkeley listener-supported radio station KPFA...
in nearby Menlo Park
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
. The original store was located on California Avenue in Palo Alto. A second store was located on Castro Street in Mountain View, California
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
.
In December 1998, Printers Inc. announced that it would be closing. The local community protested the closing and in March 1999 Printers Inc. found new management.
This management lasted until 2001 when Printers Inc. Bookstore closed for good.
