As students, our lives revolve around books. We read books in class, we read those same books for homework, in group studies and when we get home and study. After a while, some people start to wonder if they can read for fun. Well, Amazon has a large selection and Barnes and Noble is always a great choice, but what if there was something closer?
A little less than a mile away from Hamline campus, on the corner of University Avenue and Snelling Avenue, is the Midway Used and Rare Bookstore, a humble bookstore with a rich history. Established in 1965, “Midway features an eclectic mix of over 100,000 books, comics, and pulps of all subject matters on three floors,” according to their website.
“My Husband and I bought the [Midway Bookstore] in 1965,” explains store owner Kathy Stransky, “We would come here on our dates, and when the previous store owner retired, we wanted to keep [Midway] going.” Kathy’s words prove that Midway Bookstore is a labor of love.
Outside of the store, a blue awning dons the words “Midway Used and Rare Bookstore”, letting those driving by or taking transit know the store is there. When someone gets closer and looks through the window, they will see books lining the interior, proving that the testament on their website boasting a collection of 100,000 books was not just talk.
“I was looking for a job after getting my degree,” Alma said, an employee at the store, “[Midway Bookstore] was the first to reach back to me, the collection is awesome, and the owners are very sweet, so here I am.”
While many may come here looking for more entertaining reading, that does not mean that books to help scholars cannot be found there. In the basement is a plethora of encyclopedic knowledge, ranging from textbooks to historical tomes. This section of the bookstore is a great resource for students looking for information at an affordable price.
“I grew up going to the Midway Bookstore.” Hamline senior Vinny Torres said, “It’s a core part of my childhood, and I’m glad to have it close by. Making knowledge accessible is very important, and they have always been right there for us in the neighborhood. From pursuing the comic book section to searching the psychology shelf, I always find something new.”
When walking inside, you will find shelves upon shelves of books just in the entryway. Going further in, you will find a collection of the most popular items at the time, whether it’s a comic based on a popular movie or a book series being adapted into a television series. Continuing to explore the main floor, you will find many modern collections, from romance novels to murder mysteries and everything in between. Midway Books puts amazing best sellers on the front line of their store for all to see and enjoy. On the third floor is where the more classic versions of literature take up residence. Novels of every genre, from horror to fantasy and many more, line the shelves.
That’s only the tip of the proverbial iceberg and literal bookstack. If you take a right upon entering the store, you will find the stairs to the basement, which is honestly my favorite part. Downstairs is a large collection of comic books in boxes, organized by alphabet. They aren’t just the most recent prints, either. There are comics down there going as far back as the 1970s!
Comics are not the only vintage print in the basement of Midway Used and Rare Books. If you were to look at the shelves that line the walls, you would see newspaper clippings, zines, pamphlets and other forms of press of all periods and subjects. Going to the basement of the Midway Bookstore is truly like entering a time capsule of the written word.
Altogether, Midway Used and Rare Books is a haven for literary expressions and enjoyments of all kinds, whether you are an enjoyer of fantasy or a student of academia. If you need a book, Midway Used and Rare Books is the place to find it.
