The Great Book Store Side Quest of 2023

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  • © 2024 Catherine Haslag, All Rights Reserved

It all started with a map. Lisa, the owner of Sweet Reads, dropped it in my bag after I purchased some books this past spring. It lived on my kitchen counter for a time before I realized what it contained and its potential. It ended up inspiring a literary side quest for 2023.

The map is the Midwest Indie Bookstore Road Map, which outlines the Indie Bookstores throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. I decided to use it to add additional interest to my trips. I aimed to check out as many stores as possible while traveling during the summer. I planned trips to Missouri, Wisconsin, and “Up North” (northern Minnesota). I studied the map whenever I went anywhere to see if there was a bookstore nearby to visit.

Bookstores are holy ground for me. The shelves are filled with ideas, stories, and information just waiting to be consumed and enjoyed. I remember my first trip to a used bookstore when I was 17. My mom and I were in Washington, D.C., on a trip. She and her friend, Jeri, took me to a used bookstore. I spent nearly an hour pouring over a massive shelf full of paperback fiction. I didn’t get through the entire shelf before we had to leave. I bought a copy of The Butterfly Revolution by William Butler. That was the birth of my love of bookstores. I still find it relaxing and mentally exhilarating to explore bookstores 25+ years later. No two bookstores are alike; even chain bookstores like Barnes and Noble may be similar but are not the same. Each one has its own personality and selection to offer. They all have unique quirks, ideas, and decorations that add to their vibe. While buying a book off Amazon may be efficient, enjoying time and selecting a book from a physical bookstore feeds the soul.

Above – Sweet Reads in Austin, MN.

Below – A photo of my well-loved Indie Bookstore Map.

The first two shops I visited were Skylark Books and The Yellow Dog Bookshop in Columbia, MO. While the two bookstores were on the same block, they couldn’t be more dissimilar. Skylark Books is a bright shop with new books lining the outer walls and several free-standing bookcases in the middle of the floor extending the length of the shop. They had a few gifts sprinkled among the titles and a small reading nook on a mezzanine level in the rear. The Yellow Dog was a used bookstore with more chaotic organization and only one or two copies of any title. I was home visiting family and included my mom on this trip. We both love to wander bookstores and see what catches our attention. She is the one who got me hooked on books as a kid, so it’s appropriate that she accompanied me on my inaugural side quest.

I stopped at The Curiosity Shop in Pella, IA, on my trip back to Minnesota. The Curiosity Shop is a cute business that is part gift shop, part game store, and part bookseller. This store included a whimsical set of stairs leading to the basement. I found some science washi tape to use when crafting and a copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I have read this book has been challenged in some schools, landing it on my “want to read” list.

My favorite store was The Irreverant Bookworm, a small bookshop in Minneapolis. I spent about an hour cackling through each section with its non-traditional name. Instead, I browsed:

  • “Strangely Specific & Just Plain Quirky;”
  • food books organized under “DRAAAANKS” and “So Baked Right Now;”
  • self-help titles grouped under “Books Your Therapist Recommends;”
  • “Small Humans Are Confusion,” – the parenting section;
  • “Oh My God(s), Holy S#it!” which included books on religion;
  • Books on animals organized into sections titled “For the Cat Lady in all of us” and “Heckin’ Doggos.”

I left with a stack of books on writing, a fiction title, and a book on botanicals. I will definitely return to this shop.

One of my more exciting finds came from Paperback and Pieces, a used bookstore in Winona, Minnesota. It contained fourteen of the 24 volumes of Man, Myth, and Magic. My mom has a set of these books in her home library. Each volume contains incredible photographs of some of humanity’s more unique customs and history. I used to flip through the pages, soaking up all the world’s curiosities. Sometimes, I would read more about each photo, but mostly, I was mesmerized by the images of a world bigger than my tiny hometown. I purchased two volumes to add to my own library.

The Next Chapter Booksellers in Minneapolis offered a significant section on writing and several comfortable chairs to sit and preview a book before purchasing. Garden Party Books in Rochester blended art and books to create a unique experience. Many of the bookstores included funny signs. I saw these more in used bookstores than new ones. Once Read Second Hand Bookstore and Exchange in Mankato even included a resident cat named Hailey, who greeted me near the front of the store and evaluated my ability to give good head and chin scratches. She didn’t hiss at me, so I think I passed.

A little place call Afterword Tavern and Shelves in Kansas City offered a full beverage menu to enjoy while you looked through their shelves. I enjoyed a House of Leaves (applejack, xila mezcal liqueur, lemon, and cinnamon) and the relaxed for a while. Even their wifi password was book-inspired (BraveNewWifi). This was one of the few bookstores I visited that wasn’t on the Indie Bookstore Map, I am grateful I took the time to check this gem out.

In all, I have visited 24 bookstores since May, most of them included on the bookstore map, but I also discovered a few that weren’t. Additionally, I found a lot of interesting things along the way:

  • Statues and murals.
  • A few great coffee shops.
  • Turtle races in Perham, MN.
  • Other cool places to explore, including one cool crystal shop and a stationary store.

This side quest allowed me to take some solo trips, not just physical trips but also internal journeys. Windshield time provides space for introspection and consideration, something in short supply these days.

While this may have started as a way to visit other bookstores, it evolved into a way to explore corners of the world I hadn’t before and might not otherwise. It also afforded me some much-needed time to myself. Rather than providing a destination, the map gave me a starting point for a more significant journey of the world. It gifted me entry to more than books, but a way to explore without really knowing where I was going.

Sometimes, the simplest and most insignificant ideas can become a great adventure, leading us on a journey we couldn’t have anticipated. I look forward to the release of the 2024 map and the adventures it will bring.