Bringing Best of Times to Red Wing

Riverfront shops in Red Wing, Minnesota

For almost two years the historic Mississippi River town of Red Wing, Minnesota, with its quaint, restored, turn-of-the-century downtown, was without an independent bookstore. Lifelong resident Leslie Hakala was having withdrawal pains and decided to remedy the situation. The former marketing consultant attended a Booksellers School presented by Donna Paz, joined ABA and the Upper Midwest Booksellers Association, and went to both associations' trade shows.

In June 2004, Hakala opened Best of Times Bookstore, propitiously three days before Red Wing's enormous riverfront event, The Grand Excursion. The three-day Grand Excursion, which attracted one million attendees, celebrated the sesquicentennial of the arrival of the first railroad from the East Coast to the Mississippi River.

"I couldn't miss out on that [The Grand Excursion], so I worked very hard to have the store open three days before. Our grand opening was held the second week in September with a party and authors," Hakala told BTW. The largest riverboat and steamboat flotilla in over a century went up the Mississippi River that July weekend, but, typically, throughout the summer steamboats such as the Mississippi Queen and the Delta Queen bring boatloads of people to the picturesque town. Those visitors join thousands more tourists who explore the town and stop in at the Best of Times, located between two popular coffee shops.

"Both a Wal-Mart and a Target opened in 2003," Hakala sighed, "but we're 50 miles from the nearest chain bookstores -- in St. Paul and Rochester." The 3,000 square-foot store, most recently an attorney's office, had to be transformed into usable retail space. Inspired by the spirit of area resident Laura Ingalls Wilder, the store features a cozy log cabin set in front of a deep woods mural, filled with woodland critters.

Hakala has been very pleased with the holiday sales thus far. The Friday after Thanksgiving was the day of the downtown Holiday Stroll -- carolers, treats, a live nativity, "even chestnuts roasting on an open fire," brought hundred of shoppers to the store.

Customers have been following national trends, Hakala told BTW, and are buying numerous gift cards. "We have been really happy with the Book Sense gift cards," she said emphatically. "We've only had them for two weeks but they've been selling much better than the gift certificates. It's been a pleasure using them."

Like many booksellers in smaller communities, Hakala is working with publishers to encourage more nationally known authors to put the town of 16,000 on their tour itineraries. The store hosts frequent readings with local and regional authors. Hakala said she is "learning all the time. I came in without any expectations about the business. I can't say what I thought it would be. It's all new for me." --Nomi Schwartz