Celebrating 100 years amazing accomplishment

There aren’t a lot of family businesses that make it into a third generation and able to celebrate 100 years in business. The odds of that happening are probably small, but when it happens, there is much to celebrate.

I don’t have a clear memory of my younger years to remember if I ever went to the Janke Book Store in Wausau. But given my mom’s love of books, I have to believe I’d been there once or twice in my youth.

I rediscovered it when I moved back home in 2004. By then, my love for books had been well established. I had gotten rid of many of my possessions before moving home, but each and every box of books — and there were many — came home with me. It’s a good thing I don’t plan on ever moving as I’ve used up all my favors with the family and friends who helped load and unload my precious books.

Walking into the Janke Book Store for me is like stepping into a sanctuary and feeling a familiar hug around each and every corner. As I started making regular trips there to see what was new or to place an order for some book I “needed” to have, I had the opportunity to get to know the owners, siblings Jim and Jane.

As it turned out, Jim and I had attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire at the same time. Our paths had never crossed while there, but it’s fun to now share memories and updates of the school and the city.

I’ll admit it was a little hard to reacclimate to life in Wittenberg as my frame of reference had changed. People who moved here after I had left were now well established, and I was the new kid on the block, so to speak. Having an Eau Claire connection nearby was very comforting.

Jane had gone to school at Luther College in Decorah, Mom’s hometown, so I had an easy connection with her as well. It turns out that a friend of hers from her college days owns a bookstore in Decorah that I like to patronize when I’m there. I go to Decorah to visit with Mom’s side of the family, but I almost always find time to visit a bookstore or two.

Jim and Jane recently celebrated the 100-year anniversary with a party at the Rothschild Pavilion, and it was amazing to see the amount of people attending the festivities. One of their employees had worked for 62 years and had worked for all three generations of owners. That certainly says a lot about the quality of the employee and the employers.

Over the years, we’ve had some nice talks, and we’ve been candid about the book and newspaper businesses which are going through a variety of changes and challenges. As the way of doing these businesses changes due to advances in technology, we do our best to adapt. The one constant is that people will always want to make the human connection a part of the experience.

I’m grateful for the people who take the time to tell me what the hometown paper means to them, and I’m amazed when I think it’s been around since 1893.

It was easy to see what it meant to Jim and Jane to have a pavilion full of grateful friends and customers; their smiles said it all.

The shopping season will soon be in full force, and hopefully the importance of shopping local will be a priority so their bookstore and our hometown newspaper can celebrate another 100 years.