One of the joys of visiting Clio’s is introducing friends to this eclectic, down-the-rabbit-hole bookstore/bar near Lake Merritt. Watch them observe the alcoves, the tucked-away corners and the (shhh) bookcase door that opens into a tiny kids-only reading nook. There’s a welcoming feel to the room, including the soft background music that doesn’t make anyone have to shout to be heard, and the invitingly furry seat covers and throws that adorn the chairs. Chess boards are set up, awaiting players. The faux fireplace casts a warm glow in the front of the large room.
There are surprises around every corner here, and a warmth to the rooms, which are designed to encourage quiet conversations. While the space feels surprisingly intimate, it also accommodates and encourages lively exchanges over cocktails. Feel free to ask the person at the next table what they’re reading.
Clio’s
353 Grand Ave., Oakland
Open 4-11 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Patrons gather in small groups or pairs—or just pair themselves with a book. Conversations are happening here—people look at each other and not at screens. The seating options allow individuals to share space, curl up on a couch or gather in a group around a big table or at the bar.
Children are welcome at Clio’s, both as a place to play chess after school and, “a place where they can learn to enjoy the hard work and accompanying pleasures of reading, writing, and conversing with one another,” says proprietor Timothy Don. Imagine the feeling of accomplishment and triumph when a kid figures out how to trip the trick bookshelf door which opens into the adult-free reading zone.
Bibliophiles will likely notice the shelves of books at Clio’s are not organized alphabetically or by the Dewey decimal system. As helpful chalk markings above the shelves indicate, the books at Clio’s are arranged by decade. This makes for some odd bedfellows: you can find Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde sharing space with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in the 1880s section, along with works by Leo Tolstoy, T.S. Eliot and books about the U.S. Civil War.
As Don explains, this arrangement is “an attempt to push back against the sectarianism of the present moment. We shelve books chronologically rather than sectionally at Clio’s because we believe that separating people according to race, gender, ethnicity, or other such identities is counter-productive to sharing the commonwealth of culture … the volumes talk to each other.”
And if you ask Don about his inspiration to create this dream of an establishment, he will tell you that it sprang from “a desire to recenter social and cultural life around analog, lived experience, person-to-person recognition, and speculative conversation. This is why we invite guests to leave their screens and their social media at home. We want people talking to each other or in conversation with the books on our shelves (aka, reading).”
Don goes further into his inspiration for Clio’s by citing his training in the history of ideas and the 18 years he spent working with Lewis Lapham on Lapham’s Quarterly, a journal dedicated to the history of art and ideas.
“Clio’s would not have been possible for me without that experience,” he said. “And, Clio’s is in many ways a second manifestation of the work I was doing with Lewis.”
A little more than five months since the New Year’s Eve opening, Clio’s Books has established itself as a “third place” in the neighborhood—what sociologist Ray Oldenburg described as a gathering place where people go to spend time between home and work. Although, in these post-pandemic times when so many folks shifted to working from home, Clio’s may well be considered a second place. In any case, people have discovered the joys of gathering for a drink, some conversation, and a browse through the impressive collection of books, oddities and curiosities.
One patron, Lawrence Marcus, said he has visited Clio’s every day since it opened. “People’s jaws drop when they come in here,” he said. Don has observed people walking by and looking in, saying, “This is what we needed and wanted.” He hears “thank you” a lot.
And then there is the bar, centrally located between the shelves lined with books. The house cocktails cost $10, as does wine by the glass. Beer is available, as well as an alcohol-free selection of beverages including house lemonade, non-alcoholic Guinness and espresso.
“Clio’s is a working-class cocktail bar,” Don said. “We are committed to keeping our offerings strong, tasty, and accessible. Our house specials—a Negroni, a Manhattan, and a Mezcal Old Fashioned—are mixed by our bar manager and delivered straight from the decanter to patrons. You won’t find they’re like anywhere else in the Bay Area.” (I can attest to the quality of the Manhattan.) Co-founder Cari Borja says you should be able to find a decent glass of wine for $10 in Oakland, and at Clio’s you can. “I was very particular about this,” she said.
On the food and drinks front, co-founder Adam Hatch has brought in Christopher Parks as chef and sommelier. Parks said he will “draw inspiration from the literary and historically significant bookshelves” that surround his small kitchen. What to look forward to at Clio’s: pâtés, house-cured salmon, and other tapas-inspired Mediterranean small plates, with a “tight, small” cocktail menu including a Sidecar, mentioned in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms.
In addition to Don and Hatch, three other people were instrumental in making Clio’s happen: Borja, who previously worked with Timothy and Adam on the fashion edition of Lapham’s Quarterly, and has vast experience in education and the arts, including culinary, film and design; Megan Johnson, a lawyer and investor; and Dylan Hirsch-Shell, an investor and engineer who is running for mayor of San Francisco.
Borja describes Clio’s as a place “you could go by yourself,” and she enjoys going around and “introducing people to each other.” The idea of gathering has been an inspiration in all her work.
Clio’s offers several creative options for those who love books, ideas, and screen-free interactions with their fellow humans. “Clio’s is not a graveyard—it’s an orchard of ideas. Books will outlast us all,” Don said.
The organization of the books is an attempt to capture the human experience and the history of ideas. In line with Clio’s endeavor to encourage conversations about books and ideas, several regular events are scheduled for various nights of the week.
For example, regular events are scheduled on Mondays (literary events begin at 7 p.m.) The first Monday of the month is Chess Night from 4 to 11 p.m. All ages are welcome. The second Monday is “Oakland Deep,” featuring writers and historians who have written books about the East Bay. On the third Monday of the month, discussion is centered around Lapham’s Quarterly: A Magazine of History and Ideas. Participants choose a topic within and an issue to talk about. Issues of the magazine are available on-site. Book Club meets on the fourth Monday. Clio’s has a regular book club, but other clubs are welcome to meet there as well. Don reminds book groups that there is no fee for use of the space, but “the drinks are strong and good.”
In May and June, Clio’s established a six-week course which was to meet from 4 to 6 p.m. on three Tuesdays in May and three in June called “Readings for Dark Times.” A group of scholars from the UC Berkeley Townsend Center for the Humanities is facilitating the class. The June readings (6/11, 6/18,6/25) will feature works by James Baldwin, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Allen Ginsberg. Admission is $20. On Sundays from 8-10 p.m., Clio’s presents live music by North African guitarist Anis Sehiri.
There are plans for outdoor service for summer with tables and chairs set up along Perkins Street. Upcoming events, both free and ticketed, can be found on Eventbrite and Clio’s can be booked for private events.
