The Book House

The Book House, in Minneapolis' historic Dinkytown near the University of Minnesota, has got to be the most impressive indie bookstore in the Midwest. That definitely sounds hyperbolic, I know, but its selection is just that amazing. If you're visiting Minneapolis and need a place to go, check out the ginormous Book House and then tour the Dinkytown business district. With its cafes and college life, the Dinkytown is a little respite from the all-too-typical Minneapolis scene. (Back in the day, Dinkytown was Bob Dylan's hangout. According to the Book House website, Dylan lived in Dinkytown for a year, calling it the University of Dinkytown.)

I just visited Minneapolis this past summer, after having moved from there last year, and I must admit that I didn't have time to visit the Book House this time around. (I did visit Dinkytown and get its picture, though.) Nonetheless, in the seven years I lived in Minneapolis, my favorite place to shop for books was the Book House. In every genre, their selection was gigantic, especially in the academic categories in the basement. It seems like they outgrew the store space many years ago, now that books are actually double-shelved. Double-shelved? Behind each row of books is another row, sometimes with more rows on the floor, which I have to say, was equally frustrating and impressive. My memory was that almost any important academic work could be found in the store, and my principle when I lived there was to always check the Book House, and the Cummings next to it, before resorting to the anti-union Barnes and Borders. One time, I remember, I needed a book for one of my teacher preparation courses, a popular title called The First Day of School (or something similar), and I thought I'd give Book House a try before resorting to one of the corporate outfits, Sure enough, it was there, used and less expensive, and I didn't have to inadvertently support a union-busting company!

In thinking about the Bookhouse, and the many first-rate indie bookstores in Minneapolis, I'm reminded that many people in the town, when answering one of those Best of the Best surveys in the local papers, hardly ever vote for these stores. Sometimes a Book House, or a Magers and Quinn, gets to the top of the list or an honorable mention, but so many people vote year after year for one-size-fits-all stores like Barnes and Borders. In my view, stores like Book House should be heading those lists every year.

The Book House
429 14th Avenue SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 331-1430
www.bookhouseindinkytown.com