Kramers General Manager Andrew Jones. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
In a world of rapidly diminishing third-place spaces, Kramers – also known as Kramerbooks – is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a beloved cultural Washington, D.C. institution.
Founded in 1976 in the heart of Dupont Circle at the nation’s bicentennial, Kramers is a bookstore, café, restaurant, bar, corner store, gathering place, and multi-generational site for locals, visitors, readers, sippers, and noshers.
Originally owned by Bill Kramer, Henry Posner, and David Tenney, Kramers began first as a bookstore called Kramerbooks, and soon added its coffeeshop and rebranded as Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café. In 2016, the trio sold Kramers to Steve Salis, who expanded the bookstore and rebranded the eatery portion as All Day Café.
As Kramers turns 50, the beloved bookstore and café will honor its rich legacy this month with a milestone anniversary celebration, merchandise, and a look ahead to its next chapter as one of D.C.’s defining cultural gathering places.
The big community day is Oct. 24, bursting with community programs:
· Relume, a local woman-owned home goods and accessories brand, will offer custom book stamping for attendees;
· Aslin Beer Company will offer guests of age a curated on-site beer tasting;
· DuPont Little Flea Market will activate a small pop-up vintage market on site, offering a variety of vintage goods from various vendors;
· The store will partner with Everybody Wins DC, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing child literacy through volunteer-led reading and mentoring programs, donating 20% of all bookstore sales that day. Visit kramers.com to RSVP.
Finally, the shop is throwing a 50th anniversary celebration on Oct. 22, bringing together community leaders and longtime patrons for an event honoring the bookstore’s rich legacy and continued impact on the city.
The 50th anniversary excitement eclipses prior celebrations: for the store’s 20th anniversary, for example, the store gave away one free slice of “three truffle” chocolate cake to customers.
“Kramers has been part of the cultural heartbeat of Washington for 50 years, and that kind of legacy is incredibly rare,” said Salis, who is CEO of Catalogue hospitality, which also runs D.C. favorites like Ted’s Bulletin, Federalist Pig, Honeymoon Chicken, and Sidekick Bakery. “What makes it special is that it has never been just a bookstore — it’s a place where people gather, discover ideas, share meals, and feel connected to the city around them.”
Dupont Circle has always been a center of D.C.’s cultural legacy. The neighborhood continues to evolve, even today, as the Connecticut Avenue deckover project progresses, just outside the doors of Kramers. Just as the neighborhood has changed, Kramers has grown and evolved as well. But its identity as a center of curiosity and connection has remained the same.
Kramers was one of the first bookstores in D.C. – and the nation – to introduce a café on premises. For several years, Kramers would transport bagels from New York daily, unable to source bagels of quality locally. While today Kramers operates regular hours, generally 8 a.m.-10 p.m., for many years it was open 24 hours (literally an All Day Café) on the weekends, not closing its doors once to neighbors and friends. Kramers also branched out across the river, opening two short-lived spots in Arlington. Both are now closed.
Being located in D.C., Kramers has played host to plenty of celebrities: Barack Obama stopped by during his time in office; and Monica Lewinsky shopped there as well. Other celebs who have dropped by include Maya Angelous, Andy Warhol, and Toni Morrison.
In 2020, Salis – after suggesting that he might relocate Kramers from Dupont Circle – refreshed the restaurant, bringing in a new chef and a vibrant new menu with French influences and natural wine pours, plus menu favorites like Crab Deviled Eggs, Chicken & Waffles, and Goober Pie.
Salis recognized the challenges of operating a bookstore and café against the multitude of buffeting headwinds.
“The biggest challenge has been finding ways to evolve while protecting what makes Kramers unique. The bookstore landscape has changed dramatically, and the restaurant business has become increasingly competitive, with rising costs across the board,” he says. Kramers remains relevant by meeting customers where they are: selling a selection of “banned books,” hosting weekly book clubs and trivia nights, alongside poetry readings, writing workshops, and author talks. It even stays open late for special midnight-release parties, and now offers bookstore memberships for especially eager readers.
Kramers has endured because it’s more than the sum of its parts. Reflecting the diversity of the neighborhood, the curated books selection, and the creation of safe spaces for all kinds of readers, Kramers looks forward, Salis says, “to remain a cultural hub for D.C. for the next 50 years and beyond. We’re excited about continuing to grow and evolve while preserving the spirit that has made Kramers special for generations.”
The National LGBT Media Association represents 13 legacy publications in major markets across the country with a collective readership of more than 400K in print and more than 1 million + online. Learn more here: NationalLGBTMediaAssociation.com.
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