Bookstore to open in Port near owner’s inspiration

When Melissa Kassens was young, an author used to read to the her class at Parkview Elementary School in Cedarburg, and that experience sparked something in her.

“I wanted to be her,” Kassens said, noting she often would look up at that author’s writing studio in downtown Cedarburg and imagine herself there.

Not only has Kassens achieved that — she wrote a book while working toward her degree in creative writing — she’s now opening a bookstore in Port Washington where that book will be among the volumes for sale.

And that author who inspired Kassens? She turned out to be Barb Joosse, who lives on Franklin Street in downtown Port across from where Kassens is opening Verbosity Bookhouse. Joosse stopped in at the bookshop last week and introduced herself.

“It was a full-circle moment,” Kassens said.

Verbosity Bookhouse will have a soft opening Tuesday through Thursday, March 10 to 12, with a grand opening set for 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 13. There will be an open mic time at 7 p.m.

“I’m excited,” Kassens said Tuesday as she showed off her shop. “I can’t wait to pull the paper off the windows and let people in.”

The shop will offer new and used books of every genre curated by Kassens, as well as a limited variety of vintage finds and handmade items that were carried at Port Artisan Market, which previously occupied the space.

“I wanted to keep some of the artisan market here because this is a creative space,” Kassens said.

She also plans to host classes in the space, the first of which is a class on succulents set for March 22, and is always thinking about other possibilities for the space.

There’s a bar in the shop where people can purchase teas, waters, sodas, coffee and cold brew coffee, and Kassens is waiting for a license to also offer wine.

“I don’t want to compete with the great restaurants and bars we have here in Port,” she said. “I want this to be like you’re coming to your best friend’s house, having a glass of wine and enjoying yourself.

“This is a huge space, but we worked to make it cozy and welcoming. I want people to come in and feel comfortable.”

  It’s taken Kassens a while to realize her childhood dream.

She said that after graduating, she went to Colorado for her grandmother’s funeral and ended up staying and getting a job as a wrangler on a dude ranch in Estes Park.

Years later, she returned to Wisconsin and began working as a certified nursing assistant — she got her certification while in high school — and worked in health care on and off for 20 years.

“I got married, I had kids,” she said, and she managed an assisted living facility for a time. About 10 years ago, she went to work for a dance studio in Mequon, a job she continues to hold today.

“I kept thinking I’m missing something,” Kassens said.

She thought about getting a degree as a registered nurse, but she said “It just didn’t spark anymore.”

So she thought back to her childhood to discover what would spark joy, and writing came to mind. She enrolled in Lakeland University and earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing with a minor in psychology. As part of the program, she needed to publish something, so she wrote a book, “Grit and Glimmers,” a collection of essays that she described as “my intrusive thoughts of life, kids, family and the whys of life.”

Kassens said she wasn’t sure what to do next, but she knew she wanted to keep writing. She had always thought about a business of her own, a space where creativity and community would intersect.

“I remembered that as a kid almost every town had a bookstore,” Kassens said. “Whenever I go on vacation, the first thing I look for is a bookstore.”

So she started cold calling people, ultimately connecting with Port Main Street Inc., which put her in touch with the owner of the building and ultimately Jason Dannenberg, owner of Cozy Corner and the Port Artisan Market.

“It was really tough for him to walk away from the artisan market,” Kassens said. “But we really formed a great relationship, and he’s been really helpful.”

“I can’t speak highly enough of Melissa,” Dannenberg said. “It’s been refreshing to see how much heart and soul she’s put into the place.”

He said he decided to turn the space over to her after losing two of his most dedicated employees — Merton Lueptow, who passed away, and his wife Margaret, who moved away after his death; the death of his sister, which prompted a desire to cut back on business and focus more on family; and a desire to funnel capital into a business he created that his daughter Allison is growing.

Kassens signed the lease for the 3,800-square-foot space in January and has been working to convert the former market to a comfortable bookstore ever since.

“It’s been a learning experience,” Kassens said. “I don’t have a business background.”

What she did have, she said, was knowledge absorbed from family members who had their own businesses and a desire to learn.

Her motto for Verbosity — the name means using a lot of words — is “a place to settle in,” and the store offers that ambiance. The walls are a mix of darker neutrals, the bar is wood and there are plenty of tables and chairs. There is a puzzle table, work stations and bean bag chairs for kids.

Bookcases of new books line two walls, housing a collection of books Kassens has carefully curated.

“I have books in here I had in college that I really had to dive into — books that inspired or challenged me, that I felt were interesting,” Kassens said.

There are best sellers and children’s books, romance and sci-fi and everything in between.

“I was very specific and intentional and thinking about the reader who will be in here,” she said.

And Kassens is bullish about the future of her shop, noting that while many people have predicted the demise of bookstores they are making a comeback throughout the country.

“My 8-year-old daughter is determined this is going to be hers someday,” Kassens said. “I’m hoping that happens.”