Kramers — a bookstore, restaurant and D.C. icon — is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Kramers owner Steve Salis told WTOP News that the business’s commitment to authenticity is what’s kept operations running full steam ahead.
“The business really, I contend, has been able to withstand 50 years largely by staying true to the origins by which the brand and the business were conceived on,” Salis said. “Its irreverence, its edginess, its playfulness, it’s not too serious.”
He added, “It’s uniqueness in regards to its makeup is really — like the retail and the food and beverage and its positioning. It’s really like a one-on-one piece of art, and I think being able to keep the protection of those origins, but determining how to sort of modernize or roll them forward in a modern manner while maintaining its heritage is really what’s allowed it to withstand the test of time.”
WTOP’s John Wordock reports on Kramers’ longevity as the popular D.C. bookstore and restaurant marks 50 years in business.
Kramers was named Kramerbooks when it officially opened in the Dupont Circle neighborhood on July 4, 1976, becoming the District’s first bookshop that came with a restaurant.
From U.S. presidents to diplomats, artists and award-winning authors such as Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison, Kramers has seen a wide array of figures stop in over the years.
Monica Lewinsky was another famous customer. The former White House intern’s purchases thrust the bookstore into the national spotlight when independent counsel Kenneth Starr, while leading the 1990s investigation tied to former President Bill Clinton’s notorious affair, subpoenaed the business.
A public celebration marking the business’s 50th anniversary will be held Oct. 24 from 7 p.m. until midnight. Residents can expect pop-ups from local businesses, special prizes and merchandise.
Not just a bookstore
Kramers is about eight years older than he is, Salis said. He has been running the business and managing its staff of 150 workers for the last 10 years.
“We don’t just see it as a bookstore. We see it as a cultural hub. We see it as a place where people can engage over great conversation, delicious food, great books and literature, great retail, and really what it’s been able to do is create a safe haven for so many that want to engage with the brand in a lot of different ways,” Salis said.
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With consumer and cost demands continuously evolving, the Kramers owner said that ensuring the shop’s continuity really signified “the story of an entrepreneur.”
“We can’t just suggest that because we’ve had 50 years of existence that we’re entitled to another 50 years. We’re not. We’re not entitled to another year, but if we do a good job and we stay true to what we’ve been able to build, then we have a chance,” he said.
Salis has a lot of experience in being entrepreneurial. He’s also the co-founder of &Pizza and owns Ted’s Bulletin, Federalist Pig and Honeymoon Chicken in addition to Kramers.
For anyone looking to start a business, Salis has one piece of advice: “You just have to keep going.”
“I’ve stubbed my toe a lot, but I’ve never broke my foot. And you have to keep trying things. You got to keep going. You got to do your best,” he said.
“You got to be committed to what you do, and you got to constantly be humbled by the experiences you partake in because that humility, that endurance, and that willingness — you’ll be surprised that the next big opportunity or the thing you might be seeking might be very well closer to you than you could have imagined, and so you got to stay at it.”
WTOP’s John Wordock contributed to this article.
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