Linden Tree Children's Recordings and Books: A Community Treasure

This past May, Linden Tree Children's Recordings and Books, which grew out of a children's music business that owners Linda and Dennis Ronberg launched in 1981, was honored as the California 11th Senate District's Small Business of the Year. California state senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), who made the announcement, cited Linden Tree for doing so much more than selling books and music. "It introduces our young people to the joys of reading and art and serves as a community gathering place," he said. "And the Ronbergs still find time outside of their working hours to give back to Los Altos and the Bay Area. Our independent bookstores are a valued community asset, and Linden Tree in particular is a real treasure."

The Ronbergs began the business by teaching the importance of music for children and selling records and cassettes out of their home in Tacoma, Washington. In 1984, they opened their first storefront location in Los Altos, California, and decided to add books to the mix. They've since moved and expanded the business, and today it's known for a wide ranging selection of both recordings and children's literature.

Linden Tree is rooted in the Ronberg's interest in children's education. Linda Ronberg has a degree in early childhood education, and, she explained, both she and Dennis wanted to provide quality children's recordings to parents and teachers. The business was originally named Linden International ("Linden" being a combination of their names, and the "International" signifying that many of the recordings were by Canadian children's singers. The Ronbergs were the first to bring Canadian children's recording artists Raffi and Sharon, Lois & Bram to perform concerts in Seattle and Tacoma.)

When the Ronbergs moved Linden International moved from Tacoma to a 950-square-foot location in Los Altos, they renamed the business Linden Tree Children's Recordings & Books. The business now occupies a 2,700-square-foot space with large picture windows on a corner in Los Altos, just five blocks from its first storefront. About their overall aesthetic Dennis Ronberg said, "We've included subtle things people usually don't think about. We try to use full spectrum lighting -- it makes a big difference. In the other space we had a screeching yellow, this one is a peachy color. It's much more calming, and sets a better tone."

The business landscape, as well as the educational landscape, has shifted since they first opened in '84. "Recordings seems to go down every year," said Ronberg. "People buy stuff online, and many parents don't see the value of music because they no longer have music programs in schools."

The store still offers music, but of its approximately 30,000 titles, the inventory mix is about 60 percent books with 15 percent recordings; the rest is divided among sidelines. The emphasis is on early childhood books, picture books, early readers, and science and math titles. Linden Tree also offers a selection of parenting titles as well as a Book Sense, but soon-to-be IndieBound, section of adult titles. Sidelines are typically educational and include puppets and book-related dolls, tea sets, science and math games, toys, art materials, origami paper, water toys, paper dolls, infant and toddler toys, puzzles, puppets, cards, and toys.

Linden Tree hosts a full events calendar, including weekly summer morning concerts and sing-a-longs in the store's courtyard, which often draw crowds of a hundred or more. The store is also planning a Breaking Dawn midnight event on August 1 to celebrate the release of the last title in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series (Little, Brown Young Readers). The Ronbergs have begun Linden Tree's conversion from Book Sense to IndieBound by putting the EAT SLEEP READ poster in the window in time for the Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival, and they plan to bring IndieBound materials to the local business alliance in Los Altos. For the rest of the business, however, there are no other significant changes on the horizon. Instead, both of the Ronbergs are just enjoying what they've built for themselves and the community. "We've had a lot of fun," said Dennis Ronberg. "One reason we've been so successful is because Linda and I put so much of our life into it." --Karen Schechner