A beloved local bookstore, the Paperback Exchange, is facing an unimaginable loss after a water main break flooded their South Minneapolis store early last Thursday morning. 

The store, which was preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary this spring, now finds itself in the midst of a crisis.

“It was so colorful and bright and just a warm place to be, and now, it’s just empty, you know,” said Rachel Pedersen, Manager of the bookstore.

Pedersen said they rushed to salvage as many books as they could, saving a majority of the ones upstairs. But downstairs, the situation was much worse.

“The back wall is where the water main burst. There was about a four-by-five-foot hole in the wall where the main burst and just completely flooded,” Pedersen said.

Thankfully, no one was working in the basement at the time. The water submerged the entire basement from floor to ceiling, leaving books in piles of mud and debris.

“Unfortunately, the basement is where we put rare, valuable stuff that was hard to sell upstairs — overstock. One-in-a-million type of stuff, stuff you’ll never see again… 50 years worth of collecting stuff, you know, and stuff that’s irreplaceable, really,” Pedersen said.

In total, Pedersen estimates that over 100,000 books were lost in the basement alone. She said the owners, who have managed the bookstore for 30 years, are now dealing with the loss of their business, as well as personal losses. The same water main break that devastated the store also affected their home.

“They lost their car, their whole basement, and they’re struggling with insurance too,” Pedersen said.

Despite the overwhelming challenges, the community has rallied together in support. Local schools have shown their compassion by leaving Valentine’s cards on the doors of businesses impacted by the flood.

“It was one bright spot, you know, in a really hard time for us, and we’re so happy to see that,” Pedersen said.

Though the future remains uncertain, Pedersen stays hopeful.

“It’s been hard, but, you know, just gotta keep going forward, and we’re so thankful to everyone who’s been helping us,” Pedersen said.

Paperback Exchange will be hosting a book fair at Fat Pants Brewing Company in Eden Prairie on March 2nd, from 12 PM to 5 PM. This event will serve as a way for the community to support the store during this challenging time.