Viroqua’s Driftless Books & Music is part of Wisconsin’s growing indie bookstore scene

Tucked away from the busy main street of Viroqua, an old brick warehouse still bears the name “Viroqua Leaf Tobacco Co.”, left over from the days when Vernon County farmers grew the crop for extra income.

This symbol of the past has now become an unusual destination for book lovers from Wisconsin and across the Midwest. Driftless Books & Music offers used books in every subject imaginable, with volumes stacked from floor to ceiling on two floors of the century-old warehouse that spans much of a city block.

“I’m just amazed on a daily basis of where people will drive from — all around the state, Chicago and Minneapolis and Iowa,” said store owner Eddy Nix. “I can hear them when they come in, and a lot of times it’ll be like, ‘Oh, that smell. It smells so good.’ There’s something about decomposing paper that gives just some homey smell [and] feel.”

Books are more available than ever before thanks to the internet. But during the era of two-day shipping and audiobooks, many independent booksellers are finding that readers still want the connection of shopping for their next read in store. 

Nix opened his store more than 20 years ago, and over time it’s evolved into the current maze of bookshelves and secondhand art. For most of his time in business, Nix said his income has primarily relied on selling rare and valuable books on eBay or Amazon rather than from his store in a city of less than 5,000 people.

But last year was the first time in-store sales at Driftless Books & Music outperformed those online. Nix said the number of customers coming from out of town has steadily increased, especially during the summer months.

“Some days it’s just like being in the city,” he said. “Like you might as well be in Portland or something, there’s that many people, with 10 people waiting in line to check out.”

More indie bookstores are opening across the Midwest

Nix isn’t the only store owner seeing more book lovers walk through their doors. Increased demand is supporting more independent bookstores opening up around the Midwest, said Grace Hagan from the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, which represents booksellers in nine states. 

Nearly 50 new bookstores joined the association in the first quarter of this year. 

“There’s something going on that people are deciding to open more bookstores,” Hagan said.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought in new sales for many indie booksellers as people looked for ways to support small businesses hurt by the stay-at-home orders of 2020. Hagan said at least some of those sales have remained and have been strengthened by “BookTok”, a growing community of readers talking about books on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

“The number of young people that are excited about books because of BookTok and Bookstagram is incredible,” she said. “I don’t know where bookstores would be if that technology didn’t exist because that is a group of people that are huge consumers.”

Hagan feels like independent sellers have also seen more sales in response to the growing movement around banning books from school and public libraries. 

The American Library Association reported more than 800 attempts to censor library books across the U.S. in 2024, the majority of which were initiated by organized pressure groups rather than local concern. It’s the third-highest tally on record since the association started tracking censorship in 1990. Wisconsin has seen its own controversy around book bans, from a challenge of 444 books by one parent in the Elkhorn Area School District to a discrimination complaint filed by parents in Menomonee Falls over the removal of 33 books, including those depicting families with same-sex parents.

Hagan said many independent bookstores have taken it upon themselves to advertise the availability of subjects often targeted by these bans, like the experiences of Black or LGBTQ+ people or abortion.

“When you are out and open about what you have available and what you support, then people will know that that’s a place where they can come and get that, or they can come and ask for a recommendation,” she said.

Stores strive to foster community, connection for readers

Despite the more heated culture around books, or even because of it, Hagan said many independent stores are focused on building opportunities for readers to connect through book clubs and community events. 

It’s a strategy Nix has prioritized for years at Driftless Books & Music. His store hosts concerts and other gatherings throughout its open months from April to November.

“This is not just a commercial enterprise, it’s a community space,” he said. “We’ve done hundreds of events, maybe 1,000 in the last 20 years, whether it’s poetry readings or potlucks or music events.”

In Milwaukee, owner Cetonia Weston said events have become a critical way to get potential customers in the door of her newly opened store, Niche Book Bar. 

“They’re there for a poetry event, and maybe they’re not huge readers, but maybe something catches their eye and suddenly books have a little integration into their lives,” Weston said.

Weston has been working to open her bookstore since 2018, starting with author pop-up events. During the pandemic, she sold books from a bicycle-pulled cart. She finally opened her brick-and-mortar location earlier this year, featuring a wide variety of books from Black authors and serving wine and coffee from an in-store cafe.

She said one thing she’s learned is that as much as her customers want to find the next addition to their “to-be-read” pile, they also want to connect with her.

“They want to see who’s behind your business. They want to stop and talk to you and learn about you,” said Weston, who describes herself as more of an introverted person.

The daily rhythms of opening the store for customers is one of Weston’s favorite parts of being a bookseller, from grinding coffee to updating her chalkboard and flipping the open sign. And she loves helping customers connect with a book that she loved as a reader herself.

“I really enjoy when people take notice of a selection that I chose or that I read and especially like,” she said. “I really like those interactions with other people in regards to what’s on the shelves.”

WPR reporters are making pit stops across the state to explore some of the people, places and things that make Wisconsin summers special. See all the stops and plan your own roadtrip at wpr.org/roadtrip.