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DreamHaven Books

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article DreamHaven Books, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 202517 sources

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DreamHaven Books & Comics
Industrybookselling
GenreScience fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic novels, Comics
Founded1977
FounderGreg Ketter
HeadquartersMinneapolis, MN
Area served
Twin Cities, MN
Online, Internationally
BrandsDreamHaven Press
Websitehttp://dreamhavenbooks.com/

DreamHaven Books & Comics, founded in 1977 by Greg Ketter, is an independent bookstore based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a focus on science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres.

As the longest-operating specialty bookstore for science fiction, fantasy, and horror in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, DreamHaven offers both new and pre-owned genre fiction titles, comics, graphic novels, film-related books, and various merchandise.[1][2] In 1999, the store was honored with the prestigious Will Eisner Spirit of Retail Award.[3]

The bookstore operates its own publishing division known as DreamHaven Press.

Founding period

Greg Ketter began by selling books and comics through mail orders and at local science fiction conventions before securing a retail space in St. Paul in 1977. He launched the store under the name Star Lite Books. As part of the "second wave" of comic book retailers following the early 1970s pioneers, Ketter—then a University of Minnesota undergraduate—capitalized on the fragmented nature of comic distribution to curate a specialized and personalized inventory.[4]

File:DreamHaven, Dave Sim signing.jpg
Dave Sim signing at DreamHaven Books (circa 1984?), with owner Greg Ketter on the right

In its second year, Ketter relocated the shop to downtown Minneapolis and rebranded it as "The Compleat Enchanter," inspired by a collection of stories by L. Sprague de Camp. During its third year, the store moved into a second-floor location in Minneapolis’s Dinkytown neighborhood—adjacent to the University of Minnesota campus—where it would remain for over two decades under one additional site change and its final name adjustment.[5]

Operating under the name DreamHaven Books & Comics, the business broadened its scope to include events such as author talks and book signings. Ketter and his partner Lisa Freitag cultivated relationships with numerous authors, artists, publishers, and convention organizers to bring notable figures from the science fiction and fantasy communities to Minneapolis. These guests included luminaries like Poul Anderson, Clive Barker, Robert Bloch, Harlan Ellison, Joe Haldeman, Spider Robinson, F. Paul Wilson, Gene Wolfe, and Roger Zelazny.[5] Harlan Ellison once characterized DreamHaven as “a book-seeker’s cave of miracles.”[6] One visitor recalled that much of the appeal came from the store’s unique atmosphere. With an inventory split roughly evenly between comics and science fiction/fantasy books, DreamHaven built a reputation for having—or being able to acquire—virtually any title within these genres.[4] The shop’s success enabled Ketter to employ full-time staff members and attend various comic shows as well as science fiction, fantasy, and horror conventions to personally invite authors he wished to feature in Twin Cities events.

This welcoming business model combined with an extensive selection inspired other entrepreneurs within the speculative fiction community during these formative years. For example, in 1988 bookseller Alice Bentley partnered briefly with Ketter to open The Stars Our Destination in Chicago with his support. Reflecting on this subculture connection, Bentley remarked that whenever she visited DreamHaven she frequently encountered acquaintances there; she described it as a true gathering spot.[7]

1990s: "The Neil Gaiman store"

File:DreamHaven Good Omens signing.jpg
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1990) signing copies at DreamHaven Books. First American edition of Good Omens

By the end of the 1980s, booksellers were transitioning from their informal origins—where the typical proprietor's financial aim was simply to afford a reliable used vehicle—toward a more polished and professional business approach.[4]

DreamHaven experienced "good fortune" by expanding during a time when genre publishers, including those in comics, were increasingly targeting "a mature and discerning readership."[4]

Throughout the 1990s, DreamHaven was closely associated with Neil Gaiman. Ketter was an early supporter of Gaiman's creations,[4] even before the launch of Gaiman's Sandman series (which debuted in November 1988, cover-dated January 1989). This series unexpectedly became a bestseller and is credited with pioneering a new category within graphic literature.[8] Since "few collectors were aware of the series at its inception, initial print runs were limited, causing the value of early issues to rise as demand increased."[8] This trend benefited retailers broadly and proved particularly advantageous for DreamHaven Books.

In addition to favorable market timing, DreamHaven's Midwestern setting offered further benefits. Gaiman's inaugural event at DreamHaven Books was a joint appearance with fellow British author Terry Pratchett celebrating the launch of Good Omens (1990), which later inspired a widely acclaimed television adaptation in 2019.[2] In 1992, Gaiman relocated to Menomonie, Wisconsin, located just a short drive from Minneapolis.[9][4] During this period, Gaiman frequently visited DreamHaven,[10] collaborating with the store on several imaginative projects that Ketter was willing to support through DreamHaven Press.[11] Concurrently, the surging popularity of Sandman attracted numerous visitors to DreamHaven. It became an ongoing joke between Ketter and Gaiman that "many people assumed he owned it,"[12] an impression reinforced by DreamHaven's management of the (now inactive) neilgaiman.net website for many years, which served as a central hub for rare Gaiman publications.[2]

Relocation to Minneapolis's Standish Neighborhood

File:DreamHaven May 30 2020 storeboards.jpg
Image from May 30, 2020, depicting DreamHaven with boarded windows amid the George Floyd demonstrations. The quote featured is from a Spider-Man comic.

The financial crisis of the late 2000s led to the shutdown of numerous independent bookstores. DreamHaven managed to endure this challenging period by reducing its physical retail space.[6] In 2008, Ketter relocated the store to a new brick-and-mortar site, aiming to establish it in a more residential area with ample parking, which he believed would bolster the business’s longevity.[13]

For a period, Ketter viewed the store primarily "as more of a warehouse that I could open up and have people come in but still do my mail-order business and con business.”[6] During 2012 and once again amid the Covid pandemic starting in late 2019, DreamHaven curtailed its in-person store hours to focus on the operational areas that most effectively sustained the company.[14]

Impact of the 2020 George Floyd Protests

On May 29, during the second evening of demonstrations sparked by protests after George Floyd’s death, a mix of protest, riot, vandalism, and looting erupted across the Twin Cities. The commercial premises housing DreamHaven in Minneapolis suffered significant damage and was nearly set ablaze.[15] Meanwhile, another local bookstore, Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction, was completely destroyed by fire.

In response to the unrest, Ketter, supported by family and friends, stayed overnight at the store to safeguard DreamHaven from suffering the same fate as Uncle Hugo’s.[16] The recovery effort was supported by crowdfunding campaigns, volunteer assistance, and orders placed online from supporters beyond the Twin Cities area. This restoration was completed by autumn of 2020.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "DreamHaven Books and Comics « HEY-SHOPS.COM". hey-shops.com. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Gaiman, Neil (February 13, 2007). "Psst. Dreamhaven. Pass it on..." Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  3. ↑ Johnson, Nykol (August 4, 2010). "DreamHaven Books for your science fiction, fantasy, and horror needs". Twin Cities Daily Planet. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Gearino, Dan (2019). Comic Shop:The Retail Mavericks Who Gave US a New Geek Culture (2nd, expanded and revised ed.). Athens, OH: Ohio University Press. pp. 78–81, 86–87, 92, 201–203. ISBN 978-0804011907.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ketter, Greg (2017). Dreamhaven Fortieth Anniversary Scrapbook. Minneapolis, MN: Dreamhaven Press. pp. 1–4.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Coker, Aaron (February 20, 2016). "From the Stands: DreamHaven Books Is Still Standing". Twin Cities Geek - MN Geek Culture Magazine. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ Lauerman, Connie (March 25, 1999). "FOR OWNER ALICE BENTLEY, SCI-FI BOOKSTORE IS SOMETHING OF A FANTASY". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :5
  9. ↑ Tribune, Neal Justin Star (April 30, 2017). "Neil Gaiman says 'American Gods' is rooted in Minnesota-Wisconsin weirdness". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  10. ↑ Justin, Neal (April 18, 2018). "Neil Gaiman's new 'Big Bang Theory' episode may remind you of Minneapolis' DreamHaven Books". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Dreamhaven books to release Neil Gaiman audio CD at CCI". CBR (Press release). July 15, 2003. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  12. ↑ Justin, Neal (April 18, 2018). "Neil Gaiman's new 'Big Bang Theory' episode may remind you of Minneapolis' DreamHaven Books". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  13. ↑ Tuss, Vince (June 8, 2008). "This + that: DreamHaven Books on the move". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  14. ↑ Grossmann, Mary Ann (January 24, 2012). "DreamHaven will limit regular store hours". Twin Cities. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  15. ↑ Scullin, Karen (January 6, 2022). "Minneapolis comic store owner frustrated after continued robberies". FOX 9. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  16. ↑ Kirch, Claire (June 1, 2020). "Minneapolis Bookstores Deal With Fire, Vandalism During Chaotic Weekend". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  17. ↑ Kirch, Claire (August 13, 2020). "Minneapolis Bookstores Rebuilding After Rough Beginning to Summer". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved May 28, 2022.

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