Local Books Are Best Have you heard the great news? Indie bookstores are experiencing a renaissance. The number of bookstores as well as sales of books across the country have been increasing steadily over the past few years. Print is not dead, and bookstores aren’t going anywhere, because people like you understand the importance of shopping local and are buying books where it matters most. Shopping at local, independent bookstores is one of the most powerful ways you can give back to your community. Every book you buy supports your local economy and keeps these thriving communal spaces in your own backyard. This passport was created to encourage book lovers to experience the wealth of indie bookstores Minneapolis and St. Paul have to offer. There are many more bookstores in the Twin Cities than the ten featured here, but these stores exemplify the diversity of book-buying experiences available where we live. We hope you take the time to visit each of these stores and truly get to know the many booksellers and bookstores who make this community such a well-read place. Happy reading!
Celebrate Your Independents 1. Keep your money local Spend $100 locally, $68 dollars stays in the community. Spend $100 online, $43 stays in the community. Spend $100 on Amazon, $0 stays in the community.
2. Create local jobs
Local businesses are better at creating higher-paying jobs for our neighbors. Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally.
3. Nuture your community
Studies show that local business donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains.
4. Create a better sense of choice
Local shopkeepers stock items to sell based on what what their community needs and wants.
5. Make your community a destination
The more interesting and unique a community is, the more it will attract new neighbors, visitors, and guests.
6. Embrace the unique
You wouldn’t want your house to look like everyone else’s. Why would you want your community to look that way?
7. Help the environment
Shopping locally consumes less fuel and packaging material and discourages urban sprawl and loss of native habitats.
8. Conserve tax dollars
Shopping locally encourages less infrastructure and grows your community’s tax base.
9. Use local expertise
Local shopkeepers are skilled in their trade and know how to help customers.
10. Invest in entrepreneurship
Support the creative spirit the American economy is founded on.
Birchbark Books & Native Arts
Good books, native arts, jewelry, and community events
Common Good Books
Live local, read large
Daybreak Press Global Bookshop
Education, activism, and positive community experiences
DreamHaven
Books, comics, art
Magers & Quinn Booksellers
The Twin Cities’ largest independent bookstore
Moon Palace Books
A neighborhood bookstore in South Minneapolis
Paperback Exchange
Used and new books, est. 1975, over 150,000 in stock
Red Balloon Bookshop
Connecting children, teens, and adults with great books and authors for 30 years
Subtext Books
Satisfy your curiosity
Wild Rumpus
Books for young readers
DreamHaven
Birchbark
Daybreak
Magers @ Quinn
Common Good
Red Balloon
Wild Rumpus
Paperback Exchange
Visit each of the stores featured in this passport and request a stamp. Collect all 10 stamps, take a picture of your completed stamps page, and tweet it to @MidwestBooks to receive a $10 gift certificate from all 10 participating stores. Visit 5 or more stores and receive a free bookstore poster by Kevin Cannon.
Subtext
Moon Palace
Thank you to our fabulous
literary sponsors from MSP!
Local Books Are Best Moon Palace Birchbark Books and Native Arts
2115 West 21st St Minneapolis, MN 55405 * (612) 374-4023 Open daily 10 am–6 pm birchbarkbooks.com
Common Good Books
38 South Snelling Ave St Paul MN 55105 * (651) 225-8989 Mon-Sat 9 am–9 pm, Sun 10 am–7 pm commongoodbooks.com
Daybreak Press and Global Bookshop 720 Washington Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55414 * (612) 584-3359 Mon–Sat 10 am–9 pm, Sun 12–5 pm daybreak.rabata.org
DreamHaven
2301 East 38th Street Minneapolis MN 55406 * (612) 823-6161 Tues–Sat 12–6:30 pm dreamhavenbooks.com
Magers & Quinn Booksellers
3038 Hennepin Ave S Minneapolis MN 55408 * (612) 822-4611 Sun–Thur 10 am–10 pm Fri–Sat 10 am–11 pm magersandquinn.com
2820 E. 33rd St Minneapolis MN 55406 (612) 454-0455 Mon-Fri 11 am–6:30 pm Sat 10 am–6:30 pm, Sun 12–4 pm moonpalacebooks.com
Paperback Exchange
2227 West 50th St Minneapolis MN 55419 * (612) 929-8801 Mon–Thurs 10 am–8 pm, Fri–Sat 10 am–5:30 pm Sun 12–4 pm cargocollective.com/paperbackexchange
Red Balloon Bookshop
891 Grand Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 * (651) 224-8320 Mon–Fri 10 am–8 pm, Sat 10 am–6 pm Sun 12–5 pm redballoonbookshop.com
Subtext Books
6 West 5th St. St. Paul MN 55102 * (651) 493-2791 Mon–Sat 9 am–9 pm Sun 10 am–6 pm subtextbooks.com
Wild Rumpus
2720 West 43rd Street Minneapolis, MN 55410 * (612) 920-5005 Mon 10 am–5 pm, Tue–Fri 10 am–8 pm Sat 10 am–5 pm, Sun 12–5 pm wildrumpusbooks.com
Bookstores Are My Beat
The stores featured in this passport have chosen to participate in Independent Bookstore Day on April 30, 2016 and also participate in this passport promotion. We encourage you to explore the tremendous wealth of independent bookstores scattered prominently throughout the Twin Cities and purchase a poster featuring these illustrations at www.CannonMaps.com.
The bookstore illustrations in this passport have been generously shared by local artist Kevin Cannon. Visit him and buy the Minnesota bookstore poster at www.CannonMaps.com.