Arkana, a new independent downtown Appleton bookstore, may be inside an inconspicuous building, but one cannot judge a book by its cover; a plain wardrobe led to the mystical land of Narnia, after all. Walking for the first time into the small room, complete with black-and-white photos gazing upon me from antique frames, ruby sunbeams streaming through translucent curtains and partially melted candles, made me feel as if I had entered the library of a mysterious Gothic castle.
Since its opening, Arkana has welcomed the Appleton community not only to venture into this otherworldly space, but also to explore underrepresented stories and storytellers. A queer person themself, owner George Dodge felt narratives by and about—including but not limited to—people of color, indigenous people, LGBTQ+ individuals and women are largely lost in mainstream bookstores. Inspired by a bookstore with a similar mission in Madison, Dodge opened Arkana on April 29 to help project these tales into the spotlight.
“This literature needs to be injected into our community,” Dodge said. “When I was shopping for books […] at Barnes & Noble, [I asked myself], why are there so few [books by and about underrepresented people] that are obviously available? They might be there, but they’re sprinkled in and hidden, which is often how we are made to feel on a day-to-day basis—we have to remain in the shadows. I want to change that.”
Arkana’s shelves are structured genre-specifically, with sections such as non-fiction, horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance, YA and miscellaneous fiction. In tandem with the presence of underrepresented books and authors, there is an absence of narratives Dodge considers to be “toxic” at Arkana, quoting extremists such as Ben Shapiro and Bill O’Reilly. They said that by selecting books that do not promote hatred, Arkana’s environment can focus on recognizing authors and their works that offer a different, much more positive perspective.
Being a small store doesn’t stop Dodge from dreaming big about Arkana’s future. They expressed interest in fundraising once they settle in, specifically for nonprofits, such as the Trevor Project, that benefit the identity groups of the authors and stories they celebrate, as well as eventually starting a book-buying practice to recycle them and creating a website for the store.
On a local scale, Dodge plans on hosting an Appleton community book club and to invite Lawrentian poets to Arkana open-microphone nights. They encourage Lawrentians to reach out with feedback and updates on community issues or events at Lawrence that Arkana can help with.
“I’m happy to be involved,” Dodge said. “If there ever needed to be a space where Lawrence University students could come and hang out and talk about issues, have discussion panels, or anything, I want to have [that] […] I want to be a springboard […] for anybody who needs it.”
While they plan to focus on getting the store off the ground in the immediate future, Dodge hopes to expand one day. When they do, Dodge wants to bring in the authors they promote for readings and book signings. Apart from formal events, Dodge simply wants Arkana to become a safe space for the community to come and unwind.
For many, unwinding means letting the pages of a book take us to unknown lands full of mystery, romance and magic. While we may not be able to physically reach those distant worlds, the stories at Arkana are just a short walk away; the store is located on the top floor of the Draw on Lawe Street. For us Lawrentians, this means heading just south of Warch Campus Center. Arkana is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for all lovers of adventure and the arcane.