Independence is a Journey.
By Val Stadick
BookNook
Come on in and pull up a comfortable chair. This is BookNook, a place to celebrate all that we love about books in all of their glorious variety, from bestsellers, prize winners and classics to beach reads, histories and how-to manuals (a Reader’s Digest website lists over 40 genres and counting). We will explore a mix of book and author news; highlight owners, employees and customers of independent bookstores; look at what book clubs across the region are reading and discussing; maybe even look at what was on the bestseller lists 25, 50, or even 75 years ago; or compare collections of vintage bookmarks. Above all we will ask questions and encourage discussion on topics near and dear to booklovers.
Independence is a Journey. Not every community is fortunate enough to have a bookstore in their midst—nor is every bookstore fortunate enough to belong in a community that supports them. Twenty years ago I took that impulsive leap to open Main Street Books in Minot and today it is still thriving with a new owner and a similar mission: a belief in the power of the written word to empower, entertain and inform.
Hundreds of thousands of books have passed through my hands and thousands of customers have passed through those doors. To be a successful bookseller, you must be passionate about books and the great joy they bring you. You also must be able to eagerly share that love to others and truly believe that when someone walks through that door there is a perfect book on your shelves for that customer. You might say I have spent the last 20 years being an enthusiastic matchmaker.
Doors Close. I retired this past October, and while I don’t miss the schedule, I do miss the light I see in a customer’s eyes when I know that I got it right—and the satisfaction I feel when they come back in the store and ask for more and, better yet, when we find we have more in common than books. We become lifelong friends.
I also miss, more than anything, the joy in a child’s eyes when they run through the doors and gravitate to their favorite author, greedily snatching the book they have been waiting for off the shelf. I miss meeting the authors and speakers that we have had the pleasure to bring to North Dakota. But more than anything, I miss feeling like I am part of something larger and important in what increasingly appears to be a society that no longer can find the time to disappear in those pages of something meaningful and great. THIS was important to me. To bring that joy of reading into the world and into people’s lives was my lifelong work and one I am so very proud of.
Passing the Baton. When I made the difficult decision to retire, it was vital to me that my mission continued, that we offered a place in our community where people can feel safe, loved, and accepted. When I returned to Minot this Christmas, I was more than reassured that the new owner has embraced all that the original Main Street Books stood for and will carry it successfully into the future. Not only does she continually offer a place that houses thousands of engaging and wondrous books to feed the mind but Main Street Books also now offers a community fridge that helps feed the belly.
Jerry Seinfeld once said, “A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have people that are still thinking.” I think I can take that thought one step further and say that books are the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking. I hope that this BookNook feature can continue that mission that I started 20 years ago—growing the love of literature in our little section of this great big crazy world – not only one book at a time, but also one column at a time.
Until next time, when I’ll be talking with Suzanne Kelley, Editor-in-Chief of NDSU Press, about her own journey through the wonderful—and sometimes challenging—world of publishing.
Read well.
Val Stadick, recently retired, owned and operated Main Street Books in Minot, ND, for 19 years. She is an avid pickleball player, camper, gardener, and (of course) reader. She is spending her happily ever after wintering in Lompoc, CA, with her significant other, Mark, and her summers back in ND, relishing in the company of family and friends. She believes in the power of books to educate, empower, and entertain, and is excited to share all things “books” wherever and with whomever she can.
What’s Next at The Study
What would it be like to ask Alexander Hamilton your own question?
Join us for a dynamic Living History experience as Chautauqua interpreter William G. “Bill” Chrystal brings Hamilton to life—capturing his intellect, ambition, and revolutionary spirit. After the in-character portrayal, Bill steps out of role to answer questions from a historian’s perspective.
Moderated by Chautauqua scholar Susan Marie Frontczak, this interactive event blends storytelling and scholarship in a way that makes the founding era feel immediate and human.
If you love history that feels alive—and ideas that still shape our civic life—this is an afternoon you won’t want to miss.
Register for free here:
https://www.thestudynd.org/event-details/alexander-hamilton-speaks-with-william-g-bill-chrystal
A fine reflection. Thanks.