Vroman's Bookstore

Vroman's Bookstore is the oldest and largest independent bookstore in Southern California.

Foundation and Early History
The store was originally founded on November 14, 1894 by Adam Clark Vroman and was located at 60 E. Colorado Street. Born in 1856, in La Salle, Illinois, Vroman moved to Pasadena, California in the late 1800s to improve his wife's health. When she died two years later he started a partnership with J.S. Glasscock (who pulled out of the business in 1900) and opened the now famous book and photographic supply store.

Vroman was known for his generosity, and in 1912 set up a profit-sharing plan for employees who'd been with him 4 years or longer. Upon his death in 1916, his large estate was divided among friends and relatives. Another beneficiary was the Pasadena Public Library, to which he left $10,000 and photographs: 16 albums with platinum prints that he'd made from his own glass plate negatives. (He'd been a respected photographer who became known for his vibrant photographs of Native Americans and the Southwest in general.) In writing his will, he rewarded all his employees, from errand boy to business manager, with $100 for every year of service. Paying tribute to him in 1917, the directors of the new corporation solemnly resolved: "We shall try to emulate his noble example - in thoughtfulness, justice & truth."

Having incorporated the business less than 3 months before his death, A.C. Vroman, Inc. held its first annual meeting on January 9, 1917 with George Howell as president elect, Allan David Sheldon as vice-president, and Alice Dilworth as secretary-treasurer. (Vroman's relationship with the Sheldon family went back to the 1870s, when they all lived in Oregon, Illinois. The Sheldon children, Allan David & Joel - who was always known as Joe - fondly called Vroman "Uncle."  Indeed, Joe's middle name was Vroman - a name passed on in succeeding generations.)  Because of philosophic differences with other members of the board, George Howell resigned as president and general manager in 1920, succeeded by A.D. Sheldon. Since then, with the exception of one 5-year period, a member of the Sheldon family has always served as president of A.C. Vroman, Inc. The exception was Leslie Hood, who began working as a clerk at Vroman's in 1912.

Success and Expansion
In 1929, Vroman's signed a 49-year lease on property at 695 E. Colorado, moving the wholesale department out of the bookshop's crowded basement and into the leased building at its new location. By 1930, Vroman's had a mailing list of 3,000 names, classified by readers' interests. The thirties marked a period of expansion for the Vroman corporation. In the space of 7 years it opened a San Diego branch, moved the Pasadena retail store to larger quarters, started an office furniture department, and launched a popular series of book and author luncheons (1939). Its first program was held in February 1939 at which about 150 women (and a few men) gathered at the Pasadena Athletic Club to hear Lloyd C. Douglas speak. Subsequent luncheons included authors like James Hilton, Irving Stone, and Upton Sinclair. No book and author programs were held during World War II, but they resumed in 1949 and continue to this day.

The year 1944 marked its 50th anniversary, but the date passed without notice, and in 1945, with the purchase of a textbook distribution company, Vroman's became the largest book dealer west of the Mississippi. As the 1950s ended, Vroman's was operating in 9 different communities, with retail stores in Pasadena and San Diego, warehouses in Pasadena & San Francisco, and department store concessions in Ogden, Spokane, and the Los Angeles area. Vroman's had become a major corporate business, employing more than 200 people a year and grossing more than $8 million annually. Vroman's was also a noted pioneer among bookstores in its use of data processing equipment. By 1962, the School Book Depository was fully computerized, and by 1968 so was the Pasadena retail store, one of the earliest examples of such technological implementation.

Recent History
In 1984, in celebration of Vroman's ninetieth anniversary, an exhibit of 50 photographs taken in California and the Southwest by A.C. Vroman, was put on display. The company also honored its founder by making a birthday gift that benefited the community. For one month, Vroman's donated 10% of certain purchases to six community organizations. Vroman's reaffirmed that commitment in 1990 by establishing a fund to help support worthy local projects, and in 1998, Vroman's created the Gives Back program, which now includes 22 local non-profit organizations to whom a cumulative total of more than $387,000 has been donated (as of 2006).

By 1991, Vroman's had become known as a lively cultural center, offering book reviews, readings, exhibits by local artists, and storytelling & other special activities for children. Book signings continued at an accelerated pace, and Vroman's inaugurated a changing exhibition program in 1991 with its creation of the "Art on the Stairwell" exhibit, currently curated by Customer Service Manager, Laura Payne.

Vroman's evolved even further with the landmark openings of two different stores throughout the Pasadena area. On October 22, 2001, a second bookstore branch (VHR) opened its doors for business in the Hastings Ranch area (east Pasadena). Located in a busy shopping plaza at 3729 E. Foothill Blvd., it's surrounded by a thriving business and residential community that gladly welcomed the independent literary spirit Vroman's brought to the area.

Only two years later, in January 2003, Vroman's Fine Writing, Gifts & Stationery had its grand opening just two doors down from the Main Store. Located at 667 E. Colorado Blvd., Vroman's Fine Writing, Gifts & Stationery (VGS) offers an elegant and varied selection of customizable stationery - wedding, baby shower & party invitations, graduation announcements, etc. - journals, high-quality pens, wedding books & gifts, beautiful collectibles & figurines, and a staff that excels at personalized one-on-one consultations.

Today, Vroman's proudly continues its popular author series, boasting an extensive roster of well-known contemporaries. Among them have been celebrities like Goldie Hawn, Margaret Cho, Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter, Courtney Love, Salman Rushdie, Anne Rice, Joan Didion, Nick Hornby, Bret Easton Ellis, Neil Gaiman, David Sedaris, Chuck Palahniuk and a host of others.