This year Anderson’s Bookshop celebrates 150 years selling books as an independent, family-owned business in Naperville.
A storied beginning
Becky Anderson, owner of Anderson’s Bookshop, has been a bookworm ever since she was a little girl, curling up with her siblings as her grandfather read them stories.
“Those memories to me are some of the most precious memories that I have,” said Anderson. “It’s been proven that when you read out loud to another person, there’s a connection you make.”
That connection has bound generations of Anderson’s family to books – and to the community – for 150 years. Their story begins with their great-great-grandfather William Wallace Wickel starting a self-named pharmacy in the late 1800s when Naperville was just a small farm town.
“We have ads from like 1893, you know, Naperville Women’s Cookbook, it says ‘druggist and bookseller, the finest goods sold in a drugstore, beautiful wallpaper,'” said Anderson. “So we sold books to the local schools, to anybody who came in and from then on, we always carried books in the drugstore.”
Creating a paperback paradise
The pharmacy, which would later become Oswald’s Pharmacy, changed hands through generations. In 1964 Anderson’s grandfather, Harold Kester decided to open a bookstore above it, a first for the city, beginning a new chapter.
“You had to climb up a pretty deep set of stairs to get to the bookstore, and he named it Paperback Paradise,” said Anderson. “We have the original sign hanging up over here on the wall.”
It was in 1973 that Anderson’s parents took over the business, once again turning the page as it moved the bookstore to its current location on Jefferson Avenue, adding “Anderson’s” to its name.
Eventually, “Paradise” would be dropped, but to this day, the store remains an oasis for loyal customers of all ages, returning weekly to share their love of reading with booksellers.
“I love to hear who they’re buying their book for, if it’s them or if it’s their relative,” said Buschman. “They’re as excited about it as we are.”
Supporting authors big and small
Over the years, the family-owned business has had many author appearances, both in-store and on-location, from local authors to celebrities to athletes-turned-authors, such as Frank Thomas and Mike Ditka.
“The authors we have who come make the place light up,” said Buschman. “You can just see the lines of people and their thrilled excitement to meet their favorite author and get their book signed and personalized.”
“From the get-go, we have always wanted to support local authors and support our community in any way we can,” said Anderson. “We put authors at school, which we do so many of every year. To see how it can make the difference for one child that a teacher was having trouble reaching. And we’ve seen that happen countless times.”
The outreach spreads far beyond, as Anderson’s Bookshop has operated countless book fairs across Northern Illinois, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for various schools just this past year alone. The store also raises money to put books in the hands of active military members and less fortunate children.
Looking to the future as Anderson’s Bookshop celebrates 150 years
Anderson’s Bookshop will officially celebrate its 150th anniversary with an in-store, public celebration in November.
In the meantime, Anderson says she doesn’t expect to close the book on the business anytime soon, as her son Charlie has stepped up as general manager, becoming the sixth generation to carry on its legacy.
“It’s amazing that we have been putting books into people’s hands for 150 years,” she said. “It’s really a privilege to be able to do that.”
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