Honest Dog Books, a new and used bookstore in Bayfield, Wis., is expanding for the third time since owner Julie Buckles bought the store in 2019, with new space to be used for books, a children's reading area, and special events, the Ashland Daily Press reported.
"I get more excited about the store every year," said Buckles. "I bought the store with very little idea of the work it takes to run a store. So everything is still fresh and new and I'm still learning."
After purchasing the original shop, which at the time sold only used books, in September of 2019, Buckles endured a slow winter, followed by the pandemic, forcing the physical store to close. "I was staring at 13,000 books with no means of selling them," she said.
While still holding down a full-time job as communications director at Northland College, Buckles and store manager Erin Schlager pivoted quickly to finding a way to sell books online with the creation of a "SurpriseMe!" option--answer three questions about books you enjoy reading, send in $10, and receive a book based on your reading preferences. This has evolved into a successful pick-of-the-month club, with a variety of subscription options featuring both new and used books.
In 2021, Honest Dog Books partnered with Wisconsin musher and author Blair Braverman and her husband, Quince Mountain, for the release of their book Dogs on the Trail. The bookshop became the primary spot to preorder the popular title, which created a new challenge: Where would a tiny bookstore receive thousands of new books and ship them out?
Buckles rented a nearby unit featuring a garage door and a large open space with room for shipping tables. She made the commitment to lease the space for a year, which led in 2022 to the opening of the Dog House, offering rare books and a space for vinyl.
She then retired from her Northland College job to devote herself to the store. "It was becoming clear that I couldn't do both, so I happily became a full-time bookseller," she said.
This winter, when another large space off the courtyard behind the main store became available, Buckles rented what she calls "the Third Space," which will be devoted to books and a children's reading area with space for author events. She drew inspiration from a recent family trip to Mexico City, where she was entranced by the many bookstores that featured open-air spaces.
"I'm an author, adventurer, journalist, communicator and I love the written word," Buckles said. "There's nothing better I could be doing with my life experiences."