Moe’s Books
Moe's Books (2010), courtesy Moe's Books
BERKELEY HISTORY
In 1959, Morris (Moe) Moskowitz and his wife, Barbara, opened a small paperback bookshop on Shattuck Avenue. They soon moved to Telegraph Avenue where Moe’s Books evolved into a renowned emporium featuring hundreds of thousands of books. Moe’s Books was a pioneer in giving honest, fair prices by establishing a fair trade policy of offering cash or a higher value in “Moe Dollars” (“In God and Moe We Trust”) for used books. These innovative trade slips—membership cards to a literary world— give previously read books respect and value. Defying Berkeley’s no-smoking ordinance, the iconoclastic, politically leftist Moskowitz enjoyed his cigars at work, typifying Telegraph Avenue’s anti-authoritarian identity. Since his death in 1997 the bookstore has remained a family-run business, continuing its legendary founder’s traditions.
Berkeley Historical Plaque Project
2014
Moe’s Books Plaque, photo Ashley Greene (2023).
Moe's Books (1968), courtesy Moe's Books
Moe (1963), courtesy Moe's Books
Moe with daughter Doris (1990), courtesy Moe's Books
Moe's 70th birthday party (1991), courtesy Moe's Books
Scene from the movie The Graduate (1967), courtesy Moe's Books
Moe's Trade Slip
Photo credit abbreviations:
BAHA: Berkeley Architectural Heritage Assn.
BHS: Berkeley Historical Society
