The Story of Volumes Bookstore Café
Earlier this month, The Limelight’s Cristina Benavides interviewed Volumes Bookstore Café, A precious gem in the Wicker Park community closing at the end of January.
Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
By Cristina Benavides
Volumes Bookstore Café has a cozy atmosphere where you can order a warm cup of coffee, rest by a grand window on a platform, and read books that the store holds, as though it were your own private library. But in the past fall, the independent bookstore shared on their Instagram the unfortunate news of their closing—due to the harsh competition of Barnes & Noble and personal financial struggles. The beloved store will be closing its doors at the end of January 2026. Distraught by the news, we’ve decided to take the opportunity to interview one of the owners of Volumes Bookstore Café, Rebecca George, to highlight their journey of building a business from the ground up to its final chapter.
Volumes Bookstore Café was a dream of two book loving sisters, Rebecca & Kimberly George. They had a desire to impact and improve their lifelong neighborhood, Wicker Park, by providing a space for readers and coffee lovers alike. It was no easy feat to achieve, with Rebecca stating, “...it was definitely a labor of love with our whole family, friends, everyone [...] so many of the [furniture] that you see, in the old shop and the shop now, are things that [my dad] made [...] especially the first time around, everything was super built by us because we had such a limited budget.”
Credit: Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune
The two finally opened their doors in 2016 at 1474 on Milwaukee Avenue. Business went well enough for the sisters that they decided to open a second location, downtown at the 900 North Building, by Aster Hall, in 2020. The foot traffic proved to be profitable for a while, though timing was not on their side with COVID-19 hitting that year and Aster Hall permanently closing shortly after. The downtown location managed to hold the fort for a while longer, but ultimately, the sisters decided that the location was too expensive to maintain, closing its doors in 2023.
Volumes Bookstore Café’s original location continued to stand proudly until they felt it best to move in March of 2021. Though COVID-19 proved to be a challenge for the Milwaukee store, during their shutdown in 2020, with the help of neighboring music store, Reckless Records, diligent customers ordered books from Volumes Bookstore Café and picked them up at Reckless Records, helping both locations thrive during uncertainty.
Credit: Shelf Awareness
Evidently it was a new landlord of their property that forced their hand on the move. Rebecca explained, “We had new guys that bought the building, actually, right before COVID hit [...] what they wanted for us to stay there was a ridiculous amount of money [...] it was this big hedge-fund guy from New York; they bought like 13 buildings on the street that year, so I think it was in their mind all along that they were going to get us out of there.”The move wasn’t too drastic of a change for the customers or the sisters; in fact, 30 members of the Wicker Park community helped Volumes Bookstore Café find its new home, settling in September of 2022 at 1373 on Milwaukee avenue, just two blocks down from their original location.
The growing number of the store's community had been the highlight for the owners, as the bookstore became a third place for people in the commune to make their own. “I didn’t know how embedded we’d become in the community,” said Rebecca. “We’ve seen these families grow, we’ve grown kind of with them, and it’s a rare. I think, [the] connection that you have, and it’s not like ten families you’re talking about; it’s like hundreds of families and individuals. [...] Because they’re reading life as, like, them seeking meaning and whatever is happening in their life, and you end up kind of experiencing that with them.” Though, running a bookstore café isn’t exactly a cozy, easy-going business that one might imagine.
Having a functioning cafe itself requires a separate license. A bookstore owner has to spend time rushing through books, analyzing what customers are buying or ignoring, reviewing 30 to 40 new titles submitted weekly for shelving, putting in orders and making sure they’re delivered on time, budgeting for events, paying diligent employees, building maintenance, and so much more. “There’s too many things to do,” Rebecca says. “I think the only time I’ve ever stopped and read a book—or read part of a book— was during COVID and when there was a blizzard out.”
Though tough, the strenuous task of running a café-bookstore did not rattle the foundation of Rebecca and Kimberly’s love and support for each other. “We learn from each other what our weaknesses are [...] and kind of push ourselves in that way.” said Rebecca. “...You need a good foundation first. If you’re the type of siblings that can’t communicate well, then [running a business] probably is not right for you.” On top of having a stronger bond with her sister as the result of running Volumes Bookstore Café, Rebecca expressed having no regrets from the 10 years of running the establishment. “I think I wouldn’t be who I am today if I haven’t had things not work, you know what I mean? I wouldn’t have to learn from them, so I don’t think I would change really anything.” Said Rebecca. Although the story of Volumes Bookstore Café is nearing its final chapter, it’s social media presence will continue, with Rebecca expressing ideas to use the store’s Instagram to highlight Wicker Park’s bookstores and local neighborhood events.
The sisters look forward to being more involved as patrons in their community, carrying their experiences with them. Rebecca in particular hopes to utilize her vast skills to assist others in the future and is looking forward to casual reading again, going at her own pace to enjoy the books she loves. Volumes Bookstore Café's tale as a physical establishment comes to a close on January 31st, followed by an Epilogue Party on February 1st at 5pm, located at Standard Bar and Grill, 1332 North Milwaukee Avenue. You can find out more information about their party and and their closer on their
Follow their instagram @volumesbooks
