The best bookstore you’ve never heard of: Republic of Letters in Mineral Point

Keith and Leslie Damaso have loved reading their whole lives, but their hometown of Mineral Point didn’t have a bookstore… so they decided to open one.

“More broadly, coming out of the pandemic, we felt like our community had lost something—a sense of connection or integration—and we wanted to do something to address that,” Keith said.

“Having lived here for almost 18 years, and seeing some of our beloved artists and people who have promoted Mineral Point pass on, we felt like it was our turn to do more,” Leslie added.

What makes Republic of Letters unique.

The store shares space with The Book Kitchen, which is a cooking school that offers hands-on classes, demonstrations, pop-up dinners, and other events. “In addition to collaborating with The Book Kitchen, Leslie and I strive to provide a selection that’s just a little different, informed by our own interests in small presses, Asian American writers, primary sources for history and science, and new voices in fiction,” Keith said. 

How the name came about.

“The Republic of Letters was a community of intellectuals who exchanged ideas in the Age of Enlightenment through letters, gatherings and publications,” Leslie explained.

Their clientele.

According to Keith, “We have a pretty good mix of local regulars—many of whom are writers or other types of artists—and tourists who are visiting Mineral Point from Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, or further afield.”

Why it’s important to shop local for books.

• Locally owned businesses keep more money in the community and give back to schools and nonprofits.
• Local bookshops know their community and stock books and coordinate events with their individual customers in mind.
• A bookstore is a “third space”—a place separate from home and work where you can be comfortable, build community, and explore new ideas. “It’s fun to browse books, run into neighbors, grab a coffee, and find out about fun events coming up,” Keith says. 

“On top of all this,” Leslie said, “we recently started the Republic of Letters Literacy Fund through the Mineral Point Community Foundation as another way to keep our money local.” 

What titles are flying off the shelves right now.

“For fiction, we’ve been selling a lot of James by Percival Everitt. For cookbooks, Tenderheart by Hetty Lui McKinnon. And for children’s books The Wild Robot series has been a big hit,” Keith explained.

Leslie’s additions? “Kittentits by Holly Wilson has been popular—and I have to mention our recently launched collaborative project with The Book Kitchen and Little Creek Press. It’s called The Wisconsin Whey, and it’s the first book featuring only Driftless-area cheesemakers.”

How customers can make a day of visiting Republic of Letters. 

“Book ahead for facials and massages at Haven on High,” Leslie suggested. “Take a yoga class at High Barre or pottery lessons at The Globe Clay Center. Stop at all the galleries in Mineral Point. And if you’re into vintage and wacky stuff, go to Crazy Franks.” Keith adds, “Some of our favorite nearby shops are MayDay Press, The Globe Clay Center, Brewery Pottery, and Buster & Bruno Gallery. We also have great hiking in the area. Merry Christmas Mine Hill and The Sardeson Preserve are two great examples right in town, and Governor Dodge and Yellowstone Lake State Parks are right down the road. For food and drinks, Cafe 43, The Red Rooster, Popolo, and American Wine Project are great options.”

One more thing.

“Though we live in a small rural community, we hope that through our curation and aesthetic we can make people feel like they can discover the world here. Books are portals to so many worlds,” Leslie said. “Keith and I live just across the street from Republic of Letters, so you can usually find us to chat. Sometimes, we even have impromptu cake parties, so if you catch one, you catch one!”

MORE: Book It to These 12 Independent Wisconsin Bookstores