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| Rendering of the soon-to-open Wonderland Bookshop. | |
Wonderland Bookshop will open in early October at 4001 N. Downer Avenue in Shorewood, Wis. Milwaukee magazine reported that while owner and bibliophile Courtney Hyzer "never planned--until recently--on opening a bookshop four blocks from her home," she "is sure this is her dream job and the perfect next chapter."
"I've always been a huge reader. One of my favorite things to do is visit independent bookshops," she said, noting that while her kids are now older, reading them stories at night was often the highlight of her day, and curating their storybook collection a close second. "I was searching for a way to bottle up that feeling."
Wonderland Bookshop will feature board books and picture books for children, series for middle-grade readers, and titles marketed to young adults. Nonfiction and fiction works for adults will also be on offer. The shop's small event space will be used for for literary-themed tea parties, showers, and birthday parties.
With a background in event planning, Hyzer said she partnered with graphic designer Courtney Rathmann of Rathmann Design Co. on the bookshop's branding to introduce an "inspiring, whimsical and magical" aesthetic. "I always knew I wanted to be in Shorewood... [and create] a magical place for my children," she said.
Regarding the store's name, Hyzer noted: "Shorewood was originally known as having a succession of amusement parks along the Milwaukee River in the early 1900s. One of them was (called) Wonderland Amusement Park. It's about bringing the whimsy back."