Wonderland Bookshop, a bookstore for children, will open this October on 4001 N Downer Ave, the space that previously housed Hayek Pharmacy. The grand opening is October 26 and 27.
“On Saturday we’ll be open from ten to six, and then on Sunday we’ll be open from 11 to four,” said owner and founder Courtney Hyzer. “We have some author visits already planned.”
Hyzer has been in the process of developing this project for the past few years and has made it a priority to create a welcoming space targeted towards children. Hyzer based the name of the bookshop off of The Wonderland Amusement Park, which was one of many amusement parks along the Milwaukee River in the 1900s.
“I really wanted to create a space that I wish I would have taken my kids to in Shorewood,” Hyzer said. “It was a no-brainer to have it be featuring children’s books.”
In addition to books, Hyzer shared that the shop will include a well-rounded inventory, including a section for young adult and adult readers and a variety of additional items.
“We’re going to have a selection of toys, gifts, stationery, [and] arts and crafts items as well [as books],” Hyzer said.
Hyzer also tied in her past experience with corporate event planning as she created the new space.
“I created a designated event space within the bookshop because of my background,” Hyzer said. “ I really wanted that to be a focus. [This could include] creating Harry Potter or Alice in Wonderland [themed] birthday parties. Anything you can think of, we can make it happen.”
Hyzer uses interior design techniques and attention to detail to create a space that mirrors various storybooks.
“We replaced [the flooring] with a black and white checkerboard, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, which is very whimsical,” Hyzer said. “To play with that storybook theme, we have some book bindings that we’ve used as decor so you physically feel like you’re within a storybook. We have that ladder bookcase to give you that Beauty and the Beast moment, and really at every opportunity we try to give you that [feeling of] whimsy and being playful with the space.”
Hyzer’s attention to details creates an inviting environment for customers young and old. However, because of Shorewood’s children being a big part of the population, it became an optimal location for Hyzer’s business.
“I really feel like it’s a missing piece in Shorewood, [it’s] the ideal location for a child centered store,” Hyzer said.
Hyzer found one of the biggest challenges in opening the bookshop to be finding the confidence to do it.
“I started this process a couple of years ago, and I guess I was doing all this research,” Hyzer said. “[Then I asked myself], ‘can I make it work? Is it feasible? Will it be a good life-work balance?’ Ultimately when it [came] down to it, [I could] check all of the right boxes but [did I] have the actual confidence to take the leap?”
Hyzer hopes the Wonderland Bookshop creates an environment that allows people to leave her shop feeling inspired and welcome.
“In whatever your avenue of creative endeavor, creative pursuit, whatever that may be, I hope you see a color combination, an illustration in a book, a greeting card on the wall, that motivates you and inspires you in some way,” Hyzer said. “That’s a huge one. I also would love to have it be like an extension of my home, that you felt welcome and that it was like a warm place to be, and a safe place to be.”