Bookcellar

Bookcellar in Waupaca combines used books with records, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, and other solid media. In the interview, the owner traces how records grew into the business, how seasonal tourism and local loyalty shape the shop, and why collections often carry family history as much as resale value.

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Interview with Bookcellar

"Bookcellar" is a bookstore name, but you've ended up on VinylPackman — which suggests records are a real part of the business too. How did the two sides balance out, and did records grow into the shop or arrive with it from day one?

Records became a significant part of our business a month or two after I purchased the Bookcellar in 1986. My good friend, the record store owner from down the street, asked if he could move into our space, sharing the expenses and the clerking time. We ran the parallel businesses out of that cellar for about 5 years until he sold the music business to me. In the beginning, it was all new records with a few cassettes. During those years, we expanded into used vinyl and new and used cassettes and cds and whatever else we could squeeze in. So records have grown with the shop almost from the beginning.

Waupaca is small — the kind of town where the used-books-and-records shop is a genuine local landmark. What role does Bookcellar play in Waupaca, and who's walking through the door: locals, weekenders coming through the Chain O' Lakes, both?

We think of ourselves as a headquarters of over-the counter culture, in whatever form that might take. The clientele does shift a bit seasonally with tourism dominating the summer and loyal local support throughout the year.

When someone walks in with a box of records — or books — what makes a collection an easy yes for you in the first thirty seconds?

It's usually apparent immediately upon first sight or smell. Most of the records are coming from longtime customers and we are pretty aware of the care that has been taken. We hear the word "downsizing" a lot. It's also been our policy through the years to discourage the purge if there seems to be any doubt.

Waupaca has another music shop right up Main Street. In a town this size, how do the two coexist — different niches, different customers, or genuinely competitive? (local scene / niche)

Waupaca has always been a magnet for vinyl enthusiasts, starting in the early 90's when corporate boards of directors tried to kill it off. Patrons would come from far and wide to check out our inventory and the interest never tapered off. Having another shop in our downtown has helped maintain that enthusiasm.

Wisconsin winters are long, summers are humid, and a lot of collections lived in a garage or basement before they got to you. What condition damage do you see most in local vinyl, and what would you tell a seller to do differently going forward?

We tend to shy away from anything that was poorly stored. Everyone understands.

Plenty of what walks in is inherited — a parent's records, a grandparent's book collection. What's the honest picture from what comes through Bookcellar: how often does an inherited collection have real value, and what's usually in it when it does?

Again, most of what we acquire used comes from the original owner, often with our price stickers still on them. With inherited collections, our first advice is to check with everybody in the family to make sure that there is no interest, especially among the younger generations. We consider record collections to be a precious family legacy. I trust my daughters realize this.

Books and records are two very different resale worlds, with different pricing culture and condition standards. Do you approach buying them the same way, or does each side have its own rules that you had to learn the hard way? (buying — hybrid)

Yes, we have developed completely different systems for handling used books and music, systems that have evolved over the years through trial and error and are now shaped by the capacity of our retail space.

Running a small-town shop that combines books and records means the business side works differently than either a pure bookstore or a pure record store. For someone thinking about opening a similar hybrid shop in a small town, what did you learn early on that made the difference?

Nearly all stores selling solid media diversify their inventory, often with collectable sidelines, posters, clothing etc. We chose books, dvds, musical instrument accessories, gemstones, etc,etc. I would encourage the entrepreneur to fill the space with whatever they are comfortable selling.

Last updated: 2026-09-10

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