Have you been in the oldest bookstore in Oregon? I bet you don’t think you have. But if you have been to Kilndt’s bookstore in the Dalles, you have in fact been to the oldest bookstore in Oregon! Kilndt’s bookstore was started in 1870. It is currently placed on 2nd street in the city’s downtown area ever since the year 1893 when a fire destroyed Klindet’s original bookstore that was across the street.   

Klindt’s bookstore has been open for 140 years! Amazing, right?! In 1870, Ingwert C. Nickelsen moved to the Dalles and decided he would open the city’s very first bookstore. Sadly, a fire started and it made Nickelsen move the bookstore across the street, where it has been since the year 1893.

In 1928, Nickelsen sold the bookstore to the Weigelt brothers(Gus & Paul), and their sister, Edna. The Weigelt family owned the Weigelt Bookstore for the next 5 decades.     After a while, the Weigelt family sold the bookstore to 2 people named Philip and Linda Klindt in the year 1981. However, Edna said she would stay for a year to help the Klindts. But because of Edna’s love for the store, 1 year became many, many more. Edna worked with the Klindts until she was 91!

With Linda passing on in 2000 and Philip in 2010, Klindt’s bookstore is now in the great hands of their niece, Kristin Klindt and Joaquin Perez.

Now after you heard the history about the Oldest Bookstore in Oregon, maybe you want to go there too.