Wisconsin, Milwaukee -- Renaissance Book Shop - 834 N Plankinton Ave

Right in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, more towards the left ventricle really, the back of the building is just tens of feet above the west side of the Milwaukee River at the north end of the River Walk. The front of the store is entirely nondescript; nothing to make it stand out from its neighbors. Don't let it dismay you. In the phone book, they advertise "5 floors of books". If you include the ones stacked on the floors, you'd probably have enough to fill a 6th floor. This is not, as Hemingway wrote, "a clean, well-lit place for books." Renaissance Book Shop (this one anyway; there's another at 5300 S Howell Ave) is a probably century-old warehouse building with creaky, sagging wooden floors, long, steep stairways (use of handrails is imperative), towering bookshelves absolutely packed to the gills with every genre of book imaginable. These are primarily used books, some in questionable condition; others are pristine and on the same shelf. I counted forty (40) different books by John Greenleaf Whittier -- mostly essays. I had been of the impression he was merely (no disrespect intended) a poet. There is a large collection of books on the first floor of finely-bound books. My wife and I were in Milwaukee to attend the late-afternoon wedding of a friend. We had some morning-time obligations to see to, but ended up being late to the wedding. I didn't realize that 30 lbs of books would slow us down that much!

It's an uncultured pearl of a bookshop. It's bare-bones; the basement smells funny, sheer stubbornness keeps the towering length-of-the-building bookshelves from defying the combination of gravity and the slope of the floors. No doubt, you might get a little dirty while you're there. YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE!!!!

When I lived in the north suburbs of Chicago, I always tried to fly out of Mitchell when I could, not merely because it was easier to deal with than O'Hare, not merely because I could fly Midwest Express, but because there's a branch of Renaissance Books there!

Some where in the state there is a book store in an airport. I read a review and then (as usual misplaced it) any ideas. Much appreciated. Will be traveling up that way soon to check out schools. Will have to make the book store a must on the list.

See message >2 lilithcat:.

I think I found a new place to visit in Milwaukee!!

Now, should I go to the Safe House first or Renaissance books??

What Safe House? There's no Safe House... *cough*

I've learned it's better for my bank account to hit the bookstore before the bar - alcohol leads to impulse buying. Lots of impulse buying. Not that I'd know or anything... ;)