Hein & Company Used and Rare Bookstore is located in the old Krabbenhoft building, built in 1932. The bookstore fills out the first two floors of the four-story-tall building. The building is described in an undated article (circa 1932) in the Amador Dispatch entitled “Fine Building Manifests Confidence.”

“One of the most imposing buildings in this city is the new business house recently completed on Main Street near the north entrance to the city’s business section by William Krabbenhoft. Mr. Krabbenhoft has manifest a progressive spirit as well as one of supreme confidence in the future of this city by the erection of this structure. It is a notable improvement to Jackson’s business district and one for which Mr. Krabbenhoft should have a large amount of credit . . . The building is of reinforced concrete, four stories in height, although it was completed with three floors. The upper story was fitted for an auditorium having a mezzanine floor. This is provided with seats. On the second floor, the building is fitted with offices that are occupied by the engineering department of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and with storage space for automobiles. The lower, or ground floor, is occupied by the branch store of Sprouse Reitz Co., Inc., and is also provided with space for an automobile sale room and storage space. The building has a depth of 120 feet and is sixty feet in width. The respective floors are well lighted through a series of seventy-two windows, each of these spaces being the width of three ordinary windows. The entire front is provided with large plate glass windows that provides wonderful light as well as facility for display purposes.”

Hein & Company Bookstore came to the Krabbenhoft in the summer of 1997. After opening its doors, it became the hub of Main Street Jackson, hosting poetry readings, book clubs, writing groups and workshops, murder mysteries, Mrs. Santa Claus’s Storytime, Amador County Historical Society meetings, lecturers’ series – including Frank Totorich’s The Gold Rush Trail – and author signings, particularly local authors writing about Amador County, the Sierra Nevada, and Gold Rush history.

The “10 to 10:00 Club” has been meeting every week day at Hein & Company for the past 13 years. The “10 to 10:00 Club” is an informal group of local businessmen who have been meeting in the round in downtown Jackson for well over 50 years. The “10 to 10:00 Club” meets at approximately 9:15 AM until 10 minutes to 10:00 AM, at which time, they flip quarters to see who is to pay for the coffee. When feeling lucky, a member of the group might ask proprietor, Wolfgang Hein, to flip double or nothing.

Hein & Company is an independent bookstore that may well be the largest used bookstore left in California. Besides featuring local history, one can find books on any subject from sports, photography, natural history, travel, art, cooking, science, classics, and fiction, as well as DVDs, CDs, computer games, art, and collectibles.

While one is browsing or spending time at Hein & Company, the front windows afford a vast view of what’s happening downtown – local events, parades, historical re-enactments, and even fire department call-outs! Many folks come down just to browse our front windows, where fliers for all local events, workshops, and important announcements are posted.

Seasons Open: Every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. M-F, 9-7; Sat 10-7; Sun 11-6.