Rooted MKE, a children's bookstore with a focus on stories by and about Black people, Indigenous people and people of color, officially opened last week in Milwaukee, Wis.
"I've always wanted to open a children's bookstore," owner Ashley Valentine told Milwaukee magazine. "At the same time, I wanted it to have additional offerings aside from a traditional bookstore... academic support and literacy training, exploring stories through [visual] art.”
Located at 5312 W. Vliet St., the store carries diverse books for children through young adults and features a studio space where children can make art. Valentine, who holds a master's degree in education, also provides a suite of academic services like tutoring, language classes and test-taking prep.
"Kids come in two to four times a week," Valentine said. "We create academic goals for them after an initial consultation."
Valentine first saw the space that would eventually become Rooted MKE last summer, when she was touring the storefront on behalf of an out-of-town friend. Valentine thought it could make a good bookstore, and after her friend passed on the space she decided to go for it. Securing finances and applying for grants was a "challenging" process, but eventually she was ready to sign the lease.
Looking ahead, Valentine said she wants her store to "still be very busy and activated, with people choosing Rooted as a gathering place. I would like to expand to satellite location to provide tutoring support in different areas of the city so that we can have a wider reach for BIPOC students."