Chaucer’s iconic Santa Barbara books are celebrating their 50th anniversary with weeks of celebrations

Chaucer’s Books, a beloved institution for Santa Barbara readers for 50 years, invites the community to celebrate its golden anniversary with a series of celebrations taking place over the next few weeks.

With books from floor to ceiling, Chaucer’s has over 150,000 titles along with store merchandise, greeting cards, board games, posters and more. But one of the most notable features of an independent bookstore is its rich history. Chaucer’s was founded in 1974 by Mahri Kerley, who started the store from her own collection of hundreds of books and over the past 50 years has made it an iconic pillar of the Santa Barbara community. Then earlier this year, the next chapter of Chaucer’s began when Kerley sold the store to couple Greg Feitt and Jen Lemberger, who met while working part-time at Chaucer’s in 2004. The couple’s love for books and each other grew over the years, ultimately inspiring their dream of running a store together – a dream that came true last June.

Now Chaucer’s has organized a series of events through November 1 to celebrate its big 5-0 while highlighting storytelling in the Santa Barbara community. These events include creative workshops, shared storytelling and a birthday party. Additionally, Chaucer’s will be hosting a “Tell Us Your Story” contest in which participants will submit their entries for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Chaucer’s Books.

The next installment of the series of creative workshops will be comic book workshops conducted this Sunday, October 6, by author and artist Emma Steinkellner. Registration for this event can be found here. Next Sunday, October 13, there will be a zine-making workshop led by zinester Dez Alaniz. Registration for this event can be found here. Participants must check in at Chaucer’s Books in Loreto Plaza for both events, which begin at 2 p.m.

Two Community Storytelling Series events will take place on October 19 at 11:00 a.m. and October 23 at 8:00 p.m., the first a community storytelling event full of wonder and imagination led by host Miss Angel, and the second a spooky evening after-hours storytelling event hosted by by author Craig Clevenger.

The final event will be a birthday celebration for both Chaucer’s 50th anniversary and founder Mahri Kerley’s 80th birthday. The birthday party will be held on Friday, November 1 at 5 p.m. at Chaucer’s with special guests, sweet treats, music and more.

The Tell Us Your Story competition invites storytellers to share their unforgettable experiences with Chaucer’s books and the stories that have influenced their lives. Entrants must register for the competition here by Wednesday, October 23. Two winners will be announced on October 28 and will be eligible to claim a $100 prize to spend at Chaucer’s Books.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support and love the store has received from our community over the last 50 years,” said co-owner Jen Lemberger. “This celebration is our way of giving back and sharing our appreciation with those who have helped make our bookstore a special place.”

For details and additional information about Chaucer’s Books, its 50th anniversary celebration, event series or the Tell Us Your Story competition, visit the Chaucer’s Books website or contact [email protected].