CHICAGO READER INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE PROFILE: MADISON STREET BOOKS

Madison Street Books opened its doors on March 14, 2020. Those doors closed on March 16, 2020.

It was a habit of Mary Mollman’s to casually scout storefronts, in the hopes that she’d find the perfect location to fulfill her longtime dream of owning a bookstore. A er jumping at the chance to start her business in the West Loop, COVID-19 put her plans to a screeching halt.

“When the store went dark on March 16,” Mollman remembers, “I had no idea how we would survive without a customer base. Word of mouth and some very thoughtful, well-placed articles saved us. Slowly, the orders started to trickle in. People started telling their friends and neighbors. Our upstairs neighbors told their family. We had a guardian angel who sent a monthly check. Soon we had orders coming in.”

Madison Street Books has opened and closed throughout the past year based on health and safety mandates, but the storefront is currently open. Up to six customers may browse at a time, and both single-use gloves (provided) and masks are required.

When the world reopens and business feels stable, Madison Street Books hopes to really anchor the West Loop community. Their store’s information and events billboard remains fairly empty, but they are already active members of Madison Row and the West Central Association, the West Loop Chamber of Commerce. Madison Street Books works with neighborhood schools on fundraisers, and they host Dawn-Marie Rocks, a sing-along with Miss Dawn-Marie Hamilton that’s broadcast on Facebook Live and available in-store for up to four families on a first-come, firstserve basis. More events for both children and adults are in the works.

On a larger scale, Mollman comments, “Chicago has always been a city that does it our own way. We dig deep from within our own neighborhoods to provide ourselves with what we need. We have one of the best literary communities in the country. From the writers who put the words on the page, to the printers and publishers who turn them into books, to people who read those books, we are a city that celebrates the written word. It is only natural that we esteem an independent, neighborhood book shop where one can lose themselves in the shelves and find an old favorite or a new release.”

She continues, “It is in an independent bookstore that one can get a recommendation from a bookseller, who has actually read that book, and can converse on it. It is in an independent bookstore that a recommendation will lead one to a sleeper story that will become the next new ‘must read.’ It is in an independent bookstore where one’s child can turn the pages of a picture book or listen to a lively story hour, while they engage in a discussion on the merits of their favorite author. Who would want to live in a city or a world without that?”

Mollman is incredibly proud of her staff and the fact that Madison Street Books is still in business. However, despite slow reopenings, year two will be more difficult. A few weeks ago, the team launched a GoFundMe, and while they’re making progress, the goal has yet to be reached. Contribute at www.gofundme.com/f/madison-street-books-year-2.