Despite the decline in the independent bookstore industry, Kramers has continued to draw in customers looking for an intimate setting, live music, author events, and full bar. Kramers is often called a Washington, D.C. institution and has been described as "iconic" and a "staple of the District's cultural scene." Notable people that have visited Kramers include President Barack Obama and his daughters who shopped at the store in 2011 on Small Business Saturday. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and John Slattery filmed a scene from the television series "Veep" in Kramers. Other celebrities that have visited include Maya Angelou, Andy Warhol, Toni Morrison, and Margaret Cho.