Calling all romance readers, or people who group themselves in the ‘bookish’ crowd, this week’s small business is for you! Meet The Well Red Damsel, a pretty-in-pink independent bookstore dedicated to all things romance that’s uniting Milwaukee through romantasy, enemies-to-lovers tropes, LGBTQ+ picks, and local and national authors.
Only a year ago, Natasha Meyer’s passion for reading turned into something bigger. She started doing romance bookstore pop-ups and built an online bookstore – all while being a full-time real estate agent: “Hundreds of readers came to our first event, and our amazing community of Damsels grew from there.”
Her social following has grown tremendously, to the point where her pop-ups often had huge lines of hungry readers ready to snag their next read or discover a new book to add to their TBR (to be read) list. She kept hoping someone would open a romance-only bookstore to fulfill the demand Milwaukee readers had.
“Milwaukee has an incredible indie bookstore scene, but as a romance reader, I always wished the genre had more presence on local shelves. I just kept hoping and waiting for someone to open a romance-only bookstore here and one day I decided to take matters into my own hands! Milwaukee is the perfect place for WRD because MKE is a city with a big heart, strong community spirit, and full of people who love to rally behind small businesses. Plus, Milwaukee is full of romance readers!”
As someone who has lived, worked, and traveled around the country, she knew there was something special about Milwaukee. So, it was a natural fit to find a brick-and-mortar in the greater Milwaukee area, which is how she ended up on North Ave in Wauwatosa.
“As a woman- and queer-owned business, I have felt so embraced and supported by the Milwaukee community and the local small business ecosystem here in MKE and Tosa. There is something special about how Milwaukee shows up for its small businesses, whether it’s at a pop-up market, a grand opening, or just recommending a favorite shop to a friend. I couldn’t imagine building this anywhere else! I am also eternally grateful for the local, women-owned businesses who have championed me and The Well Red Damsel from day one.”
Natasha and her cute part-time bookseller, Bert (the Bulldog), welcome everyone and anyone through their doors, hoping it can be a haven for those who may just need to escape the world for a minute. Bert even has his own fan club with people snapping pictures with him when they walk into the store: “He loves greeting customers and reminding everyone that romance books and dogs make life better!”
Her mission has always been to “create a welcoming, inclusive, and judgment-free space where romance readers can celebrate their love of the genre. We are here to champion love in all its forms and to redefine the idea of a “damsel,” not as someone in distress, but as someone with strength, passion, and agency.”
Natasha said that creating connections through reading and building a ‘community of Damsels’ has been the most fulfilling part of the journey to her. “Seeing the friendships formed through our bookstore has been the most surprising of it all.”
When asked if there’s anything coming up for The Well Red Damsel and local book lovers, Natasha mentioned ‘From Milwaukee, With Love’, a weekend of all things books.
We have a huge 3-day romance reader event that we’ve been planning with MKE Books and Beers, called From Milwaukee, With Love, which will take place September 4–6. Many of our events have sold out, BUT Saturday, Sept. 6 we’re inviting everyone to Meet Me on North—a romance-themed author crawl down North Avenue in East Tosa! You will get the chance to meet 70+ romance authors and vendors, shop their books, and support local businesses along the avenue! It’s the perfect way to cap off an unforgettable weekend. More information about attending authors can be found on our website!