“Independent bookstores put their towns on the map. The shelves of a bookstore are a destination, and each purchase is a new journey. That’s the magic of a bookstore. It celebrates where it is while taking you anywhere you want to go.”
Midwest Bookstore Roadmap, 2025
One of these bookish destinations is the Republic of Letters bookstore in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Keith Burrows opened the bookstore in 2023 with the tagline, “Bringing the World to Mineral Point.” His partner, Leslie Damaso, adds, “And bringing Mineral Point to the world.” The two, who have lived in the area for nearly 20 years, decided to take the bookselling plunge when the building across the street from Damaso’s music studio—she teaches voice and piano to students from age 4 through retirement—came up for sale.
A materials scientist by training, Burrows might not seem a likely candidate to start a small business, but he was also a newly elected city council member and had economic development on his mind. Plus, he had always felt it was important for cities to have third spaces (cafes, parks, bars, and bookstores) where people can spend time and interact with the larger community.
“There are a lot of things not going well in our culture right now, but a solution for so many of them is to get people talking about ideas. Books, I think, are the best way of conveying complex ideas, because they give you the time and space to develop all the nuance…talking about books is a great way to bring these ideas into community.”
While a LGBTQ+ pride flag hangs in the store’s window, Burrows and Damaso have made a conscious decision not to be politically outspoken, though Burrows is quick to add that he respects bookstores that make the decision to do so. “We’re trying to be a middle ground where people of varying backgrounds can be in the same physical space and find common ground.” They want to help people re-engage in civic life after the disruption of a global pandemic that kept us apart.
To that end, the store has hosted events with folks as varied as a Christian environmentalist, which was sponsored by a local church, and a drag performer story time. Apparently, the performer fell in love with the small town and decided to move there. Talk about bridging a divide.
Burrows says a couple of teenagers recently came into the store to let him know the pride flag made them feel safe, and a young tourist dropped in because they saw the store as a welcoming place and wanted to thank him for displaying the flag. These interactions are another aspect of what makes bookstore ownership meaningful. “If I can give one teenager the opportunity to love bookstores who might not otherwise be exposed to one, that’s enough for me,” said Burrows.
An additional bridge created by the store has turned out to be the commercial kitchen and cooking school that is housed in the back of the shop. Founded by pastry chef Nicole Bujewski, The Book Kitchen hosts cooking and baking classes for kids through adults, as well as cookbook launches. Her events bring in people who might not otherwise find themselves in a bookstore. “Everyone likes food,” says Burrows. “It’s not as politicized as some books can be.”
Connecting people through book-specific and book-adjacent events has proven to be an avenue for bringing people together 100 miles northwest of Mineral Point at Pearl Street Books in La Crosse, Wisconsin, too. Owner Beth Hartung says building community has been an essential component of the business model from the start, and the shop hosted over 125 community events in 2024.
Many of these were the type one would expect: author events, poetry circles, a memoir discussion group, an adult book fair. (Why should kids have all the fun?) Increasingly common are “silent book clubs,” which invite people to “enjoy a peaceful space to read alongside fellow book lovers…No meetings, no pressure—just reading.” Folks in La Crosse can join other readers at “The Root Note” coffee shop/bar/music venue, a two-minute walk from the store, while other shops hold silent book clubs in their own spaces or even at local parks. (Shout out: Ep•i•logue Books in Menomonee Falls and Blue House Books in Kenosha—among many others.)
But Pearl Street Books doesn’t stop there. It offers monthly psychology and philosophy circles for people who like to explore big ideas and the human mind. Mending circles bring people together to learn practical skills from each other, and “Music Between the Shelves” introduces participants to local musicians’ work and the books that had an impact on their lives. The store purchased a used piano and welcomes guests to tickle the ivories between book browsing and catching up with other patrons. Plus, there are twice-monthly visits from therapy dogs. Seems one doesn’t even have to be a reader to feel at home in the store.
Hartung says, “I never could have imagined the connection, concern, and love I would feel for my customers.” This sentiment seems to be shared by many independent booksellers and reinforces their stores’ role as a “third space” for building community at a time when community is more important than ever.
