A used bookstore with a name that fits its mission is headed to Waukesha. Twice Loved Bookstore plans to open Nov. 27.
The shop is the project of owner Holly Dineen, according to Greater Milwaukee Today. The store will focus exclusively on used books for now, and Dineen said she wanted to give books a second chance and keep them from being discarded.
Room for Local Vendors
Dineen hopes to eventually carve out space for local vendors.
A New Waukesha Bookshop
Dineen is moving forward with the new shop, which will focus on used books.
A Good Moment to Open a Bookshop
Dineen is launching into a climate that looks friendlier to independent booksellers. The Ozaukee Press reports that 422 new bookstores opened in the U.S. in 2025, citing the American Booksellers Association, and describes independent shops as having a Renaissance.
James Cornelius, co-owner of Grafton's Book and Cranny, told the paper that “the percentage of ebooks has fallen significantly. There are more people buying real books right now.” His shop at 1522 Wisconsin Ave. is splitting duties between new and used titles, with Cornelius handling the used side.
Other Wisconsin Bookshops Are Opening Too
The trend is showing up well beyond Waukesha. Hoodline reported that Book Nook was set to open Oct. 17 at 62 N. Main St. in downtown Hartford, stocking new and used titles across all genres and planning tea parties, book clubs and author signings.
In Madison, Isthmus reported that The Book Deal planned to open a self-service kiosk at Garver Feed Mill on Oct. 16 with about 2,000 books. Twice Loved will lean on a more traditional approach, with a shop to walk into and a name that says it all.
