Avol’s Books, a 31-year-old Madison, Wis. used, rare, and out-of-print bookstore, is merging with A Room of One’s Own, a feminist bookstore celebrating 36 years in business this year. The merger will be effective August 1, 2012, when A Room of One’s Own takes over the Avol’s retail space, which is located around the corner, housed in the former Canterbury Books space since 2003. Avol’s will continue to sell used books on consignment through A Room of One’s Own. Avol’s owner, Ron Czerwien, will function as the used book buyer at A Room of One’s Own and will continue to run Avol’s online sales operations.
Neither Czerwien nor Sandra Torkildson, A Room of One’s Own’s owner, were available for comment by press time, but Czerwien wrote on his Facebook page this weekend that, “Room, under this configuration, will be able to continue to prosper in what has become an increasingly challenging environment for independent bookstores.”
Avol’s was founded in 1980 by Richard and Carol Avol, who sold the store to Czerwien in 1993. The Avols moved to Washburn and currently operate Chequamegon Books & Coffee. Avol’s stocks about 100,000 books in all subject areas.
