Lesley Klein,
Founder & Owner
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Oak Trail Books opened May 23, 1995 in Downtown Dunedin. How the business started is an interesting story: Rick & Lesley Klein were riding their bicycles along the Pinellas Trail from their home in Palm Harbor near Pop Stansell Park. Rick wanted to show Lesley Grant Stadium. It was March 1994, one year after the Kleins had purchased Sunrise Landscape & Lawn Care. Lesley helped with this business both in the office and out in the field. After a year of this, Lesley began to question whether the best use of her talents was in mowing grass, after all, she had a Masters of Arts Degree in Mass Communication and her previous line of work was as a Video Producer.
Ashley, Oak Trail assistant |
She had asked for a sign, for some direction from the
Universe. She found that sign (literally) on a building
that was being redeveloped along the Pinellas Trail
in Dunedin. It said: "Wanted: Bookstore".
Lesley said to her partner of 2 years, "Honey,
that would be the neatest thing to do!" She talked
with her father, Gaston Marticorena, who has been self-employed
as a jeweler since he was 17, to get his opinion. He
was very supportive and encouraged her to pursue this
newly found vision. Lesley's mother, Celia Marticorena,
was also supportive of this new endeavor. Along with
the support of Dawn & Mac McCarthey, neighbors of
the Kleins who joined in as partners for six months,
Oak Trail Books was born. They named the store after
a huge live oak tree along the Pinellas Trail.
After six months, the landlords raised the rent and
Lesley "knew" she needed to find a new home
for the store. Through a series of what could be called
miracles, she ended up getting a lease-option on the
building Oak Trail Books currently calls home.
The move to Historic Palm Harbor happened in August
1996 and three years later, the Kleins exercised their
option and purchased the building with the generous
help of then Florida Bank of Commerce.
When we made the physical move, we also made a shift
from a general new and used independent bookstore to
a independent metaphysical bookstore specializing in
the mind, body & spirit. In September 1996,Everything
Herbal II, an herb supplement store, moved into a 500
square foot section of the first floor and stayed there
through August 1999.
 March
2000 heralded a new era for Oak Trail Books as new tenants
moved into the building. ReNew Life, a trio of women
who perform facials, therapeutic & relaxation massage,
colon hydrotherapy & reflexology moved into the
second floor of the building. The Blue Coyote Coffee
Shop moved into the first floor where Everything Herbal
II used to be. The owner of the coffee shop added a
wooden deck to the side of the building for patrons
and eventually closed in September 2005.
In 2001,Oak Trail Books was named Best Metaphysical
Bookstore by the Weekly
Planet
and in 2002 was awarded Small Business of the
Year by the
Palm Harbor Chamber of Commerce.
In November 2005 through May 2007, Lori & Hunter's
Health Food Store & Cafe rented the space for span
of time. In June 2007 during Oak Trail Books' 12-year
anniversary, Lesley Klein partnered with her dear friend,
Denise Karnes, and opened The Witch's Brew coffee,
ice cream & spirits shoppe. See
www.thewitchsbrew.com for more information
on Open Mic Nights on Thursdays and Live Entertainment
on Friday and Saturday nights.
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