Discover Priceless Literary Finds At This Little-Known Minnesota Bookstore

Books are only the beginning when cats, chickens, and a wildly unexpected ceiling decoration join the browsing experience.

Minnesota has a bookstore where finding your next great read can feel suspiciously like entering a story itself.

Playful spaces encourage young readers to explore, while unusual resident animals make wandering the shelves considerably more entertaining.

Reading corners and imaginative details keep curiosity moving even before anyone opens a book.

Staff recommendations add substance beneath all that whimsy, helping visitors discover titles they might otherwise miss.

This is not a place designed for grabbing one paperback and racing home. Leave the schedule loose, because every odd little corner provides another reason to keep exploring.

How It All Started

Back in 1992, two book-loving founders opened a shop with an unusual rule: animals welcome. They set up inside a century-old building in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis.

The idea grew from a children’s book about a boy who fills his bedroom with nature. That gentle notion became a whole store where creatures and stories share the same roof.

Instead of copying big chain shops, the founders built something small, warm, and unmistakably theirs. Children came first, though adults were never shut out of the fun.

Co-founders Collette Morgan and Tom Braun later divorced but continued running the shop together until Braun’s death in 2018.

Morgan carried the store forward alone until her own retirement in 2024, when four longtime employees, Timothy Otte, Jessica Fuentes, Beth Wilson, and Anna Hersh, took over as owners. They kept every ounce of the original whimsy intact.

Today the shop operates as a queer and women and nonbinary-owned business, still rooted in its neighborhood. Decades of young readers have grown up wandering those aisles.

I love that the origin story never feels like corporate history. It feels like a promise someone made to imagination and then actually kept. You will find it all at 2720 W 43rd St, Minneapolis.

Chickens, Cats, And Chinchillas

Cats roam the aisles with total confidence, and until recently, chickens strolled past the picture books too. The last of them has since retired to a hobby farm, but the rest of the menagerie carries the tradition forward.

Look closer at the terrariums and you will spot chinchillas, mice, and a tarantula named Thomas Jefferson. The illustrated signs beside each resident are worth reading on their own.

Many of these animals were adopted or rescued, and they live here full time. Before opening hours, staff give several of them time out to stretch and explore.

Over the years the roster has shifted. A pot-bellied pig and a chatty macaw once lived here before moving on to new homes.

Kids crouch by the cages, whispering. Parents pretend they are not equally delighted, which fools nobody.

The animals are not props or gimmicks. They turn a shopping errand into a small expedition, and they give shy readers something to talk about.

Wild Rumpus manages this balance carefully, keeping the space calm rather than chaotic. Among bookstores across Minnesota, this menagerie stands entirely alone.

A Ceiling Full Of Surprises

Look up. Seriously, the first thing I did wrong was keep my eyes on the shelves.

The ceiling is painted to resemble open sky, complete with clouds and artistic cracks. A full-sized canoe appears to break through an icy lake scene overhead.

That single detail nods to Minnesota’s lakes and wilderness better than any poster could. It also makes kids gasp, which is the point.

Exposed brick walls carry painted trees and curling vines. The effect feels like reading inside an overgrown garden that someone forgot to trim.

Tucked in one corner sits a spooky shed, where mystery and Halloween-themed books live year round. Small witches and wizards claim it immediately.

There is a crocheted fox head mounted on the wall, plus puppets waiting to be handled. Every corner hides another visual joke.

Even the bathroom joins in. A fish tank sits where a mirror would normally hang, which is oddly calming.

Reading nooks appear throughout with overstuffed poufs, child-sized chairs, benches, and soft rugs. I claimed a bench and lost twenty minutes without noticing.

Shelves Worth Getting Lost In

Book selection is where this shop quietly flexes. The curation is thoughtful rather than crowded, which makes browsing feel easy.

Children’s and young adult titles dominate, arranged by age and interest so nothing feels buried. Board books, graphic novels, and thick series volumes all get their own space.

One clever touch: a section organizing popular series in order. Any kid hunting book seven of nine will find it fast.

Inclusive titles get real attention here, alongside a dedicated shelf of local authors. Generic corporate imprints and character tie-ins are largely left out.

Grown-ups get a smaller adult section, but it is chosen with care. I picked something at random and had zero regrets.

There is also a multilingual selection and a modest craft and puzzle corner. Wild Rumpus fills gaps most shops ignore entirely.

Staff knowledge is the real treasure. Ask for a recommendation and you will get a considered answer, not a shrug toward a display table.

Kids are encouraged to pull books out and spread them around. If a book trail forms on the floor, someone cheerfully tidies it later.

Story Times And Author Visits

Tuesday mornings belong to Tail Time. That weekly story hour brings songs, dancing, and picture books to a floor full of wiggly listeners.

Authors visit regularly for readings and signings. Watching a seven-year-old clutch a freshly signed copy is a small joy worth witnessing.

Teen readers get Booker T’s Teen Book Club, where young adult novels and graphic novels get proper discussion. Named after a resident cat, naturally.

Sensory Friendly Story Time is offered for children with Autism, so the magic reaches more families. Thoughtful programming like that says a lot.

Events sometimes travel beyond the walls, including Earth Day activities around the neighborhood. Books and environmental awareness pair nicely.

The shop also supports local causes and joins community initiatives throughout the year. It functions as a gathering place, not just a register and shelves.

Cannot make it in person? Signed copies can be arranged through online orders, which is handy for out-of-state fans.

Wild Rumpus turns author events into genuine occasions rather than quick appearances. Kids meet the person behind the pictures.

Arrive early for popular sessions, since seating fills quickly. Few bookshops in Minnesota build community this deliberately, and it shows in the crowd.

Exploring The Linden Hills Neighborhood

Half the fun happens outside the door. Linden Hills is a boutique-filled pocket of southwest Minneapolis built for slow wandering.

Lake Harriet sits within easy walking distance, along with Bde Maka Ska nearby. Both invite a stroll before or after book shopping.

Bakeries, cafes, toy shops, and small restaurants line the surrounding streets. You could easily fill an entire afternoon without moving your car.

Homemade bread from Great Harvest Bread makes a solid snack stop. A scoop from Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream sits just a short walk away.

Lake Harriet’s bandshell hosts seasonal activity, and the historic Como-Harriet Streetcar Line runs trolley rides in warmer months. Kids find the streetcar nearly as thrilling as the animals.

Street parking exists but can get snug, especially on weekends. I circled twice and considered it part of the adventure.

Sidewalks here are pleasant and shaded, making the walk between shops genuinely enjoyable. The whole district feels neighborly rather than touristy.

Pairing Wild Rumpus with a lakeside afternoon makes for one of the better days you can plan in Minnesota. Pack comfortable shoes.

Awards And Well-Earned Praise

Recognition has piled up over the decades, and not just locally. The shop earned the Pannell Award for Best Children’s Specialty Bookstore in 2016.

A year later came something historic. It became the first children’s specialty store ever named Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year.

International attention followed too. In 2015, readers of The Guardian voted it among the ten best independent bookshops in the world.

O: The Oprah Magazine featured it in 2019 on a list of twenty bookstores every book lover should visit. Reader’s Digest has mentioned it as well.

National television took notice, with features airing on Good Morning America. Not bad for a shop with chickens on staff.

What impresses me most is that none of this changed the atmosphere. There is no velvet rope, no self-important signage.

Wild Rumpus still feels like a neighborhood shop where a toddler can flop on a rug with a stack of books.

Awards describe the outside view. The inside experience remains quiet, curious, and slightly wild in the best sense.

Smart Tips Before You Go

A little planning improves this visit considerably. Weekday mornings bring calmer aisles and better odds at street parking.

Weekends get busy, particularly when the weather cooperates and the whole neighborhood fills up. Patience helps if you are driving.

Doors open at 10 AM Tuesday through Friday and stay open until 7 PM. Saturdays run 10 AM to 5 PM, Sundays noon to 5 PM.

Mondays are closed entirely, since staff use the day to arrange displays and restock shelves. Tuesday shoppers get the freshest finds.

Seating is limited, so expect to share a bench or settle onto a rug. Nobody minds either option.

Let kids browse freely and touch books. Staff genuinely prefer curious hands over pristine shelves, and they tidy up without complaint.

Sign up for the newsletter to catch author events and schedule changes before they fill. Online orders can include signed copies too.

Wild Rumpus rewards visitors who linger, so block out at least an hour. Then wander the neighborhood and make a whole Minnesota afternoon of it.