Situated at 536 Emerson Street in downtown Palo Alto, Bell’s Books is a family business selling new and used books, ranging from popular novels and recipe books to rare, vintage collections. The store has been through several relocations and name changes since Herbert Bell founded it in 1935 in hopes of selling textbooks to Stanford students. In 1950, the business purchased its current building: a storefront with two floors, original pressed-tin ceilings and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

According to Bell’s Books owner Faith Bell, the daughter of Herbert Bell, the City of Palo Alto attempted twice to tear down the building to build a parking lot, once in the 1950s and another time in the 1970s. However, the efforts were unsuccessful, and in 1988, the building was designated as Category 2 on the National Register of Historic Places, defined as a historical building with “regional importance” to be preserved, according to the City of Palo Alto website. Now, visitors stream in Monday through Sunday to flip through books and chat with friends.

Barron Park Market & Florist, at 3876 El Camino Real, provides products such as plants, groceries, liquor and household products. Its low prices and accessible location offer a convenient option for local shoppers.

After moving from Iran in 1979, owner Haas Bordbari and his family purchased the property and started an auto body shop. In 1986, however, the City of Palo Alto forced the shop to close due to zoning restrictions prohibiting car shops. Seeking a solution, the family decided to open Barron Park Florist, which was later followed by Barron Park Market.

According to Bordbari, his children are uninterested in continuing the family business, so he is uncertain of the market’s future. Nevertheless, he will continue to run the family business, which he sees as a neighborhood staple, for as long as he can.