By 10 a.m. on June 21, it’s close to 90 degrees outside, and an extreme heat warning is in effect in Milwaukee. Earlier that day, my own A/C unit fizzled out, just in time for a three-day stretch of unusually high temps. Rather than brood indoors with the shades drawn and the old steel fan spinning lazily in the living room like some character in an Ernest Hemingway story, I left the house for the pottery studio down the road, thinking it would be more productive to throw wonky vases for my loved ones in the heat than read on the couch in the heat, when my fingers stick to the pages.
I pulled up to the studio on North Avenue in Wauwatosa, and found a crowd that stretched down and around the block on 64th for the opening day of the new romance bookstore in town, The Well Red Damsel (6429 W. North Ave.; 414-763-5353). I passed the crowd and came to the pottery studio door, where the owner had taped up a sign written on lined paper:
“Closed due to extreme heat. Do not enter. That means you!!!”
The sign was adorned with drawings of skulls and crossbones to indicate the consequences of using the studio. I went in anyway to move some asymmetrical soup bowls from my shelf to the kiln. A section of the bookstore line was visible from the studio and everyone in it was grinning. Grinning and sweating. Things were about to get very steamy. Just how steamy? I locked the studio behind me and went to the line to find out.
Natasha Meyer, the store owner and local romance reader, has committed this space to well-curated reads in a judgement-free brick-and-mortar. The people standing in line for the grand opening event seem not to mind the heat or the wait times to get inside in order to support the bookstore’s vision.
Allison
Why are you standing in line?
“I recently got into romance novels. My sister encouraged it. She and I have always been bonded through books, and she’s here in line with me today. I like to support local, and I really wanted to meet the dog!”
There’s a dog?
“Yes, [Natasha] has a dog that she calls her book salesman. His name is Bert and he’s supposed to be in there for a little bit longer. A shop dog is pretty fun.”
How long have you been standing in line?
“We’ve been in line for almost an hour. I hope she has some of the books I’m looking for.”
What are you looking for?
“I’m looking for more Ali Hazelwood novels.”
Cady, Courtney, and Teddy
Why are you standing in line?
“We love books. We’re always out buying books, and now we’re supporting a woman-owned, queer-owned business. And, you know, there should be more things for the girlies.”
What are you looking for?
“I’m just looking. I’ve read a lot, so anything I see that I haven’t read, I’ll probably get it.”
How long have you been standing in line?
“Since 9:07 a.m. Two hours.”
Chrissy
How long have you been standing in line?
“Since 9:15 a.m. It’s 10:45 now I think.”
What are you looking for?
“All the smut! And Bert merch, because Bert’s adorable.”
Who’s Bert?
“Bert is the dog! Natasha’s puppy. He’s a sweet little gentleman.”
What’s exciting about The Well Red Damsel opening up?
“I love that it’s one of the first romance bookstores in our area. It’s an incredible space that I’m excited to be a part of. Natasha’s been so great at all the pop-up events and is just a really lovely human. I’m excited to support her and to see this many people here for her.”
I move further down the line. I turn the corner on 64th where it continues into a residential neighborhood, stretching first into an unshaded blacktop on the corner where folks stand under parasols, many holding bottles of water and handheld fans to keep cool.
Kate and Hailey
Why are you excited about The Well Red Damsel?
“Natasha has worked harder on this than anyone who has ever opened up a bookstore. This turnout today is so well-deserved. The things she does with books and with other people in the community is unparalleled.”
“Yes it’s a bookstore, and the bookstore is amazing, but what she has also done is bring people together. She has built a community behind the bookstore and that’s really special. It’s another way to bring people together and celebrate something that connects others who are like-minded.”
“Who doesn’t love a smut dealer?!”
Is there anything in particular you’re looking for in there?
“We were at the early opening and we stocked up there. But we’re back for the 3D bookmarks she carries now. One of them says ‘Good Girl.’ That’s what I’m after today.”
“There’s always another summer read out there. This is the perfect time to be in a bookstore and to grab something spicy from the shelves.”
“Something to match the temperature!”
How long have you been out here?
“An hour. It’s worth it! She’s our friend and we want to support her today.”
I walk all the way to the back of the line, into the shady residential area where attendees hold iced coffees that still have actual ice floating in the cup. New arrivals!
Amy
Why are you excited about The Well Red Damsel?
“I love bookstores and I’m always happy to support a bookstore. I also, obviously, am a fan of a certain persuasion of books.”
[Here, Amy turns to show me earrings that look like colorful dragons at first, but the neck and head of each one has been replaced with an erect phallus.]
“When I saw on Instagram that she was opening a bookstore, I was super excited and immediately texted my sister, ‘Hey, guess what we’re doing on Saturday?'”
Are you looking for anything in particular?
“No, I just want to check it out, see what’s in there. I will support independent bookstores until I’m blue in the face.”
I‘m not a romance reader myself, but the avid bookworms who spoke to me not only love the genre, they love the chance to browse a bookstore and to support a community-driven mission that embraces diverse tastes and styles. In this era of AI slop, infinite scrolls, and an overall declining interest in curling up with an engrossing novel, any endeavor that encourages reading and diversity is an undeniable good thing to have in one’s community. At least in my book.
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• Press release: Milwaukee’s first romance bookstore opens June 21