A downtown Hartford storefront is about to fill a gap that's gone unaddressed for years: Washington County doesn't have a single bookstore. That changes on Oct. 17, when Book Nook opens its doors at 62 N. Main St. with a grand-opening celebration starting at 10 a.m.
According to Greater Milwaukee Today, the store is owned by Stephanie, who has a longstanding love of books and once wanted to become a librarian. Her daughter, Colette Poree, serves as Book Nook's marketing and events coordinator. The shop's opening marks the return of a bookstore to Washington County.
The Poree family chose downtown Hartford for the store. The same report notes the Poree family has lived in Hartford and the surrounding area for decades, a connection that shaped the decision to plant the store in the heart of town rather than elsewhere. The space Book Nook leased once housed Birds on Deck & Home Improvements, and the family secured it over Labor Day weekend.
What Shoppers Will Find on Opening Day
Book Nook will stock new and used titles across all genres, and the shop plans to host community events once the doors open. Plans call for tea parties, book clubs, author signings and story times to become regular fixtures once the doors open.
Community Events
Beyond selling books, Book Nook plans community events as an ongoing part of its programming.
The concept echoes a similar story that played out last year in Verona, where a mother-daughter duo, Suzi Arnston and Melissa Arnston-Choudhury, purchased Kismet Books in March 2025 and relaunched it as Garden Wall Bookshop. That store's two-day grand-opening weekend, reported by the Verona Press, featured storytime, artist demonstrations, food trucks and a tea pop-up alongside work from more than 40 Madison-area artisans. The weekend paired bookstore programming with local food and artisan work.
For now, the countdown in Hartford is set for Oct. 17 at 10 a.m., when the first customers will get a look at what Stephanie and Colette Poree have built at 62 N. Main St.
