Zendaya recently visited this East Bay indie bookstore
Rakestraw Books, a 53-year-old independent bookstore in Danville, had a surprise celebrity visitor a few weeks ago: Zendaya.
During Zendaya’s visit, shop owner Michael Barnard took a photo of the actress holding two books that have film adaptations she’s starring in this year: Frank Herbert’s “Dune Messiah,” and Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
In “The Odyssey,” which comes out July 17, she’ll play the Greek goddess Athena. In “Dune: Part Three,” scheduled for release Dec. 18, she’ll play the character Chani.
After securing her permission, the bookstore posted the photo on social media platforms the morning of June 6, McNeill said. Within hours, the photo had generated over 27,000 “likes” on Instagram and thousands more on X, and many kind comments about both the actress and the bookstore.
“It says something certainly about the area, and the East Bay as a whole, that someone who is as famous and popular as that feels comfortable and safe to visit a little independent bookstore and know there isn't going to be a fuss made about it,” McNeill said.
“I don't know if we’ll ever see her again, but we're incredibly touched that she deigned to have a photograph taken and was so lovely,” she added. “It is such a treat for us.”
The bookstore is not the only East Bay institution to receive love from the movie star this spring. On May 28, Arizmendi Bakery posted a clip on Instagram showing Zendaya signing autographs at the premiere of her film, "The Drama," in Rome, Italy, and telling a fan that the cooperative is her favorite place to eat in Oakland.
Earlier in May, she told Elle magazine that she and Tom Holland recently adopted their third dog, a pocket bully, from an Oakland shelter. Oakland Animal Services confirmed with KRON4 that the couple adopted the pup there.
Details: Rakestraw Books is open 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays at 3 Railroad Ave., Danville; rakestrawbooks.com.
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 4:44 PM.