Those who are avid readers know that books can set you free.
They’re an escape, a lesson, a journey – a chance to experience a world outside your own that only exists between pages.
That’s why Destiny Van Hoesen launched MKE Books & Beers. She understood the power of reading and wanted to bring Milwaukee’s bookish community together. And, since her first event a couple of years ago, it’s become way more than that.
Outside of the book fairs that support local vendors and authors – and provide people with a great time (we can personally attest to this) – she’s creating opportunities to get books in the hands of many who would not have access otherwise, and finding other ways to support the community.
From food drives to wrapping books for the kiddos at Children’s Hospital, Destiny and MKE Books & Beers are proof that all it takes is one person and one idea to make a difference.
What is your background?
Born here in MKE
Any stories from your youth that define your path?
I didn’t grow up with a lot. My parents did everything they could, but money was always a little tight and life wasn’t always easy. Books became my escape, they let me dream bigger than my circumstances and reminded me there was a whole world outside of what I knew. Looking back, that’s a huge part of what led me to where I am today. I wanted to create that same sense of joy, connection, and possibility for other people through books and community.
Where did you study (if you did higher education)?
Went to cosmetology school and did hair for 6 years but haven’t done any traditional college.
What do you do for work now?
My regular day job is Events & Rentals Manager at the Urban Ecology Center. Planning all kinds of events from weddings & corporate events to birthday parties! But MKE Books & Beers is my passion project: hosting bookish events & Milwaukee’s First Outdoor Adult Book Fairs in Breweries & Beer Gardens! And on top of managing those events that support so many local makers, authors, bookstores & small businesses, our events each have a give-back to a local nonprofit or community organization.
I actually started my career doing hair because I loved helping people feel confident and good about themselves. From there, I fell into wedding planning and eventually started my own wedding planning company. That experience opened the door to nonprofit event planning, where I realized I loved creating experiences that brought people together for something bigger than just the event itself.
Then MKE Books & Beers came along. What started as a simple idea to connect readers and support local businesses has grown into an amazing community. Looking back, every step has been connected by the same thing, I just love creating spaces where people feel welcomed, celebrated, and connected.
Can you talk more about your community involvement?
Honestly, MKE Books & Beers is just run by little ol’ me & the help of my unpaid intern (my husband). It’s a lot of sliding into Instagram DMs, popping into local coffee shops, breweries, bookstores, and restaurants to see if we can dream up something fun together. A huge part of it is building genuine relationships with local businesses, authors, and nonprofits and figuring out what our community needs and how I can help.
Everything is done on my own time, and every event is funded by me or by the money we make from previous events. I don’t take a paycheck from it. Every dollar goes right back into hosting the next event or supporting the nonprofits we partner with, whether that’s purchasing items from their wish lists, making donations, or organizing collection drives. At the end of the day, I just want to use these events as a way to bring people together and make our community a little stronger.
What are some ways you have impacted the community in your line of work?
For me, it’s never just been about hosting events, it’s about using them as a way to make a real impact. Through MKE Books & Beers, we’ve created spaces where people can make friends, discover local authors, and support small businesses, all while giving back to the community.
We’ve :
- collected hundreds of books for local organizations
- delivered 380 wrapped books and gave to local shelters & children’s hospital as holiday gifts
- donated food over 700 pounds of food to a local food shelter during SNAP pause
- 3 tubs of winter gear donated to local shelters
- over 100 packs of feminine hygiene products to local shelters
- pet supplies & food to local animal shelters
- supported nonprofits by purchasing directly from their wish lists or making monetary donations
And we don’t plan on slowing down.
What do you like about living in Milwaukee?
Milwaukee is so underrated. I think a lot of people hear our name and immediately focus on the negatives, but they don’t see all the incredible things happening here. We have some of the most passionate small business owners, people who genuinely care about making this city better and who show up for each other every day.
And our summers? I don’t think they can be beat. The festivals, the lakefront, the parks, the neighborhoods, it all comes alive.
This has been my home my entire life. I was born and raised here, and even during the times I thought I wanted to move somewhere else, Milwaukee always pulled me right back in. There’s something really special about this city, and I love getting to be a small part of what makes it such a great place to call home.”
What do you want to see for Milwaukee’s future?
I hope Milwaukee keeps investing in the people who make this city special. I’d love to see even more support for small businesses, local artists, authors, and nonprofits because they’re the ones creating the spaces where people connect.
I also hope we keep telling a better story about Milwaukee. We have so much to be proud of, but sometimes the good gets overshadowed. There are incredible people here doing amazing things every single day, and I want more people, both here and outside the city, to see that.
More than anything, I hope Milwaukee continues to be a place where everyone feels like they belong. Community doesn’t happen by accident.
Anything else we should know about you, your job, community involvement, or life in general?
I think the biggest thing I’d want people to know is that you don’t have to wait until you have a big organization, a huge budget, or the “perfect” idea to make a difference. MKE Books & Beers started with one event, a lot of cold messages, and a hope that maybe a few people would show up. Since then, it’s grown because people believed in it and wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves.
I’m really passionate about proving that community isn’t built by one person, it’s built through relationships. Every coffee meeting, every Instagram DM, every partnership, every volunteer, and every person who buys a ticket or donates a book helps create something meaningful.
If there’s one thing I hope people take away from my story, it’s that if you care enough to start, you’d be surprised how many people are willing to help you build something amazing.