In the little town of Viroqua, Wisconsin (population 4,300), there’s something very big that’s just waiting to be discovered. Driftless Books and Music is a gargantuan used bookseller that’s located in an unexpected place – a historic book warehouse. It’s the perfect reason to visit this beautiful corner of Wisconsin, Here’s why you should pick up your next batch of WI books from Driftless.

Note: Driftless Books and Music closes on a seasonal basis. Make sure to check the website first before visiting.

Driftless Books & Music began back in 2004 when the business purchased a warehouse owned by Connecticut book dealer Robert Shui. That first warehouse contained 100,000 books.
Paul Wiesler/Google Local
Even bigger things were ahead. In the years that followed, the business purchased seven more used bookstores in five states.
Driftless Books & Music/Facebook
In 2009, the business moved into a warehouse of a different sort - the old Viroqua Tobacco Warehouse.
Driftless Books & Music/Facebook

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This stately brick building was the perfect location for a giant collection of books. The 1906 post-Victorian structure was once one of the state’s largest tobacco warehouses.
Driftless Books & Music/Facebook
The building is adorned with tobacco leaf medallion decorations and it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building holds an enormous and ever-changing collection of new, used, rare, and antiquarian books. If you’re looking for something very specific, there’s a good chance you'll find It here.
Driftless Books & Music/Facebook
The owners have dubbed the building "The Forgotten Works Warehouse" and the "Driftless Center for Slow Media."
There’s much more to the business than books. It also has records and tapes, sheet music and maps, a beer can museum, a music venue, and an art gallery. In short, it’s very worthy of a road trip.
Driftless Books & Music/Facebook

Learn more about Wisconsin’s unique book warehouse, Driftless Books & Music. The store hours vary by season – during winter the store is only open by appointment. If you love exploring interesting bookstores, there are many unique Wisconsin book sellers. Here’s a browse-worthy bookstore in Madison that also serves cocktails.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Cool bookstores in Wisconsin

Chris Muras | December 27, 2022

Where are the best bookstores in WI?

There was a time when it seemed that independent bookstores were a dying breed, but there is something special about a unique bookstore hidden away on main street USA that will never be replaced by online megastores. Here are some wonderful bookstores in Wisconsin you really need to visit if you are ever in town:

  • A Room of One's Own, Madison, WI
  • Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI
  • Redberry Books, Cable, WI
  • Arcadia Books, Spring Green, WI
  • Fox Den Books, River Falls, WI
  • Bookends on Main, Menomonie, WI
  • Janke Book Store, Wausau, WI
  • Itty Bitty Bookstore, Stoughton, WI
  • The Village Booksmith, Baraboo, WI
  • Mystery to Me, Madison, WI

What is the largest independent bookstore?

The self-proclaimed largest independent bookstore in the United States is Powell's Bookstore in Portland, Oregon. It has more than one million new and used books for sale. It was founded in 1971 and has four locations, all in Oregon. Powell's has also been rated as one of the coolest bookstores in the world. The biggest bookstore in New York, The Strand, might be even bigger with estimates showing that it may have upward of 2.5 million books.

What are the coolest bookstores?

The coolest bookstores in the world are not only filled with unique books but they are also filled with charm and a feeling of history. Some have been around for over a hundred years. Here is a list of ten of the coolest bookstores:

  1. Honesty Bookshop, Hay-on-Wye, Wales
  2. El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires
  3. Selexyz Dominicanen, Maastricht, The Netherlands
  4. Atlantis Books, Oía, Santorini, Greece
  5. Powell's, Portland, Oregon
  6. Livraria Lello, porto, Portugal
  7. Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice
  8. The Strand, New York City
  9. Shakespeare and Company, Paris
  10. City Lights Books, San Francisco

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Featured Addresses
Driftless Books and Music, 518 Walnut St, Viroqua, WI 54665, USA