Renaissance Books
Encyclopedia
Renaissance Books is a large independent bookstore
in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, specializing in used books. Founded in the early 1960s by George John and Erwin Just, it is now owned by Robert John, George's younger brother. The store's main building (a former furniture warehouse) is five stories high (plus the two-story building next door and another down the block) housing somewhere from 350,000 to 600,000 volumes.
Renaissance also operates a branch at Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport
, which opened in 1979. With strong aviation, history, cooking and genre fiction sections, plus rare books, it is believed to have been the world's first used book store in an airport. It holds about 60,000 volumes.
ran an article in its Business section headlined "City, businesses bemoan bookstore eyesore" which described the downtown location as "the eyesore on an otherwise attractive block.... part bookstore, part dustbin" and quoted nearby business owners as condemning the property as a blight on their neighborhood. The store was contrasted to the airport location, which it conceded "is one of the terminal's most popular features. The place is clean, well-lighted and attractive". The article contained speculation that owner Robert John's motivations ranged from active perversity to "gaming the system" to a simple inability to perceive that clutter offends other people.
Independent bookstore
An independent bookstore is a retail bookstore which is independently owned.-Literary and countercultural history:Author events at independent bookstores sometimes take the role of literary salons. The bookstores themselves, "have historically supported and cultivated the work of independent...
in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, specializing in used books. Founded in the early 1960s by George John and Erwin Just, it is now owned by Robert John, George's younger brother. The store's main building (a former furniture warehouse) is five stories high (plus the two-story building next door and another down the block) housing somewhere from 350,000 to 600,000 volumes.
Renaissance also operates a branch at Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....
, which opened in 1979. With strong aviation, history, cooking and genre fiction sections, plus rare books, it is believed to have been the world's first used book store in an airport. It holds about 60,000 volumes.
"Eyesore" controversy
In June 2011 the Milwaukee Journal SentinelMilwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. It is the primary newspaper in Milwaukee, the largest newspaper in Wisconsin and is distributed widely throughout the state...
ran an article in its Business section headlined "City, businesses bemoan bookstore eyesore" which described the downtown location as "the eyesore on an otherwise attractive block.... part bookstore, part dustbin" and quoted nearby business owners as condemning the property as a blight on their neighborhood. The store was contrasted to the airport location, which it conceded "is one of the terminal's most popular features. The place is clean, well-lighted and attractive". The article contained speculation that owner Robert John's motivations ranged from active perversity to "gaming the system" to a simple inability to perceive that clutter offends other people.