Passtimes Books

Sometimes it’s in the blood; such might be the case with Stephen Grutzmacher, owner of Passtimes Books. His mother taught children to read, his grandmother was a librarian and his college literature professor father named him after James Joyce’s Stephen Dedalus. When Steve was a boy, he always opened last the books he received as Christmas gifts, because they were his favorites.

As his parents Marge and Hal Grutzmacher launched their first bookstore in Ephraim in 1978, Steve came of age among books on several fronts.

Although he had intended to pursue science in college, he soon found himself drawn to history and literature, graduating with a double major.

After college he managed Passtimes Books before moving to Chicago in 1980 to work at Kroch’s and Brentano’s flagship bookstore on Wabash Avenue. But in 1988 he returned to Passtimes, by then located in Sister Bay.

As booksellers the Grutzmachers had already found their role in Northern Door. “We built our niche around Door County books,” Steve Grutzmacher said, “books about Door County and by Door County authors.”

Passtimes is also unique for their willingness to place special orders. “Because I love books,” Grutzmacher said, “I really want to find that book for someone. I experience the same thing!

“We really like trying to help people find new things to read,” he continued, “or the book that will make a good gift.”

But while the focus of Passtimes Books has remained constant throughout the 30-year history of the bookstore, the book industry has changed, as has the population base in Door County.

When the former Betty Wiltse Real Estate office in downtown Sister Bay became available, Gutzmacher seized the opportunity to change his location. “The previous store was too big,” he said. “That amount of inventory wasn’t practical with the year-round population base.” The new store is smaller, and because of the rising wholesale cost of books, a more practical space.

In addition, Grutzmacher finds the location ideal, across from the expanded Sister Bay Park, and near both the post office and the library. He has the good fortune to have “a wife who loves power tools.” Rather than moving the large bookshelves from the old store, he and Barbara built new shelves in keeping the size of the new quarters.

And recognizing the realities of the new market, Grutzmacher has modified the focus of Passtimes as well. In the fall of 2009 Door County author Norb Blei decided to downsize his personal library and asked for shelf space for commission sales. After several months of selling Blei’s books, Grutzmacher thought others might also want to sell used books on consignment. He placed an ad in the Pulse and received a good response. Customers in his new store will find a combination of new and used books on the shelves.

In his reading about the turmoil that exists in the book industry, Grutzmacher has learned “used books perform well.” He will continue to carry new books, but “recycled” books will also find a place in his store.

Like newspapers, small booksellers are an endangered species and must find ways to reinvent themselves if they are to thrive. Even the two well-known mega-retailers are struggling to survive now, facing competition from the dot-com sellers who offer some titles at a loss as a strategy to build a customer base.

But all booksellers face competition from the increasing number of e-book vendors that presently hold a 2 – 3% share of the market, Grutzmacher said, and are predicted to rise to a level of 10 – 15%.

Despite the success of the electronic alternatives, “books will always be published,” Grutzmacher said, and offers anecdotal evidence in support of his assertion. Although the e-alternatives might seem attractive as people find themselves with less discretionary income, “when it comes to entertainment value,” he said, “a new hardcover at $27.95 is still a tremendous value” compared to ticket prices for performances and athletic events that engage for only a couple of hours.”

“Readers like to browse through real books when they make selections,” he continued, “and like holding and feeling the weight of the book.” He recalls, too, a reference to a study that found comprehension levels were higher from printed pages than from electronic screens.

But Stephen Gruztmacher doesn’t need to rationalize his existence as a bookseller. For him books are not an intellectual distraction but a visceral way of life. When you are descended from a family that not only has lived by the printed word, but made a living from it as well, you embrace change, reinvent yourself, and, if necessary build your own bookshelves in your new bookstore.

Passtimes books, located at the corner of Mill Road and Highway 42 in Sister Bay, is open every day except Wednesday from 10 am – 5 pm, and 11 am – 4 pm on Sunday; hours will extend as the season progresses.