Independent Bookstore Day is April 30. Here's a list of 50 Wisconsin stores you can support this year.
When she opened her Sturgeon Bay bookshop in 2018, Liz Welter envisioned it as a gathering place for the community.
Since then, she and co-owner John Maggitti have seen everything from first dates to proposals in Novel Bay Booksellers, their shop at 44 N. Third Ave.
Such experiences and connection to the community are at the heart of Independent Bookstore Day, an annual celebration of indie bookstores that encourages consumers to shop small with special events, deals and advertising.
For this year's event, on April 30, Welter and Maggitti will include a free book with every purchase. The books will be handpicked by the owners based on what customers have selected for themselves that day.
"(Customers) like the surprise," Welter said. "It introduces them to an author, or a topic that they hadn't thought about."
At the onset of the pandemic the social aspect of their business was put on hold and they were forced to create a website, listing all their merchandise online in three incredibly full days.
In 2020, Novel Bay did little to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, trying to avoid drawing crowds to their shop. However, as people began to come back to the store in 2021, they saw success with their book giveaways, something they are hoping to see again this year.
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Independent Bookstore Day events look different from bookstore to bookstore. For example, Lion's Mouth Bookstore, 401 N. Washington St. in Green Bay, is celebrating the day with two author readings, 15% off used books and free coffee mugs with a $50 purchase.
With at least 49 indie bookstores in Wisconsin and nearly 200 in the Midwest, there are numerous options for shopping.
Cathy Allard, the owner of Bayshore Books at 302 Collins Ave. in Oconto, said it's important to support indie booksellers because they, as members of their communities, are able to tailor their stock to the community better than major retailers.
"The books on our shelves are basically books that we know customers in our community are interested in," said Allard. "We don't just bring in bestseller lists, we actually create our own bestseller lists."
Welter said small shops also tend to hire passionate readers who are knowledgeable in different genres and can provide recommendations. While Welter is familiar with literary fiction, historical fiction and children's books, Maggitti can help customers looking for books about current affairs, history, science and politics.
Stores like Bayshore and Novel Bay are connected to and support other local businesses. Bayshore sells art by local artists and Allard is full of recommendations for local places shoppers can visit to meet a variety of needs.
Novel Bay purchases items like coffee, t-shirts and stuffed animals from local retailers and Welter encourages her customers to shop at their businesses, too.
"That tax that you pay when you buy the books stays local," said Welter. "If you shop downtown and you shop locally, that supports all of us."
Here's a list of bookstores in Wisconsin you can visit on Independent Bookstore Day according to the 2022 Midwest Indie Bookstore Roadmap created by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association. Check out their website for a more complete list.
Northeast Wisconsin
Bayshore Books: 302 Collins Ave. in Oconto
Book Heads: 214 E. Mill St. in Plymouth
Book Stop: 603 S. Military Ave. in Green Bay
Dragonwings Bookstore: 110 S. Main St. in Waupaca
Fair Isle Books & Gifts: 1885 Detroit Harbor Road in Washington Island
LeDeDa Books: 1624 New York Ave. in Manitowoc
Lion's Mouth Bookstore: 401 N. Washington St. in Green Bay
Mind Chimes Bookshop: 1766 Superior St. in Three Lakes
Novel Bay Booksellers: 44 N. Third Ave. in Sturgeon Bay
OtherWorlds Books & More: 41 N. Third Ave. in Sturgeon Bay
Shenandoah Books, Etc.: 133 E. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton
The Book Store: 293 W. Northland Ave. in Appleton
Thomas A. Lyons Fine Books: 127 W. Wisconsin Ave. in Neenah
WordHaven BookHouse: 923 N. Eighth St. in Sheboygan
Yardstick Books: 317 Steele St. in Algoma
Central Wisconsin
Bound to Happen Books: 1008 Main St. in Stevens Point
Janke Book Store: 505 Third St. in Wausau
Reader's Realm Gallery of Books, Gifts & Whimsy: 147 E. Montello St. in Montello
Thimbleberry Books: 166 S. Central Ave. in Marshfield
Milwaukee Area - Southeast Wisconsin
Blue House Books: 5915 Sixth Ave., Unit 1, in Kenosha
Books & Company: 1039 Summit Ave. in Oconomowoc
Boswell Book Company: 2559 N. Downer Ave. in Milwaukee
InkLink Books: 2890 Main St. in East Troy
Lions Tooth: 2421 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in Milwaukee
Rare Vision Books: S42W31260 State 83 in Genesee Depot
Reads by the River: 102 E. Main St. in Waterford
Studio Moonfall: 5031 Seventh Ave. in Kenosha
Voyageur Book Shop: 2212 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in Milwaukee
Literatus & Co.: 401 E. Main St. in Watertown
Madison Area - Southcentral Wisconsin
A Room of One's Own Bookstore: 2712 Atwood Ave. in Madison
Arcadia Books: 102 E. Jefferson St. in Spring Green
Daydream Believer Books and Gifts: 130 E. Lake St. in Lake Mills
Downtown Books: 624 N. Broadway in Milwaukee
Itty Bitty Bookstore: 123 E. Main St. in Stoughton
Kinsmet Books: 101 N. Main St. in Verona
Leopold's Books Bar Caffè: 1301 Regent St. in Madison
Mystery to Me: 1863 Monroe St. in Madison
The Book Deal: 319 W. Beltline Highway, Unit 111, in Madison
Main Street Books WI: 190 E. Main St. in Reedsburg
The Village Booksmith: 526 Oak St. in Baraboo
Southwest Wisconsin
Driftless Books and Music: 518 Walnut St. in Viroqua
Pearl Street Books: 323 Pearl St. in La Crosse
Northwest Wisconsin
Apostle Islands Booksellers: 112 Rittenhouse Ave. in Bayfield
Bookends on Main: 214 E. Main St. in Menomonie
Chapter2books: 226 Locust St. in Hudson
Dotters Books: 1602 Hogeboom Ave. in Eau Claire
Fox Den Used Books: 117 S. Main St. in River Falls
Honest Dog Books: 38 S. Second St. in Bayfield
Northwind Book & Fiber: 205 Walnut St. in Spooner
Redbery Books: 43455 Kavanaugh Road in Cable
Spinster Books: 313 W. Main St. in Ashland
Alexandria Bursiek Kloehn is a business reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at abursiekkloehn@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @bursiekkloehn.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Wisconsin bookshops to support for independent bookstore day