MADISON, Wis. -- By Louis Bien
Madison Magazine
Special To Channel 3000

Avol's Bookstore is that place you've been meaning to check out for years, but haven't found the time.

The charming storefront gives off the air of a quaint neighborhood bookseller. Local authors and political novels are featured in the storefront display and the window dressing invokes a mix of medieval kitsch and bookstore homeiness.

It's the kind of place that's universally appealing to all passerby: unique enough to pique anyone's curiosity, yet humble enough to remain familiar and inviting. It's the type of place that resides as a fixture in mental images of Madison's State Street area, even if few have gone inside.

Those who do take the plunge through the glass-pane doors off of Gorham Street will be surprised by what they find, starting with the realization that the quaint neighborhood bookstore isn't so quaint.

"A lot of people come in from the outside and the first thing I hear is 'Whoa, this place is big,'" says Ron Czerwien, owner of Avol's Bookstore.

Czerwien (pronounced "sir-win") bought Avol's from Richard and Carol Avol over 16 years ago, the last five of which have been spent in its current West Gorham Street location. According to Czerwien, Avol's carries approximately 100,000 titles on its shelves that form a rounded arch behind the front desk. The layout of the store is castle-like, with long aisles and rooms strewn about and branching off one another like the inner workings of some palace. Hidden square alcoves even test the claustrophobic. The décor radiates a similar feel, with painted ivy garnishing the archways and a wooden timbre highlighting everything from the shelves to the front desk. Much of the fun to be had at Avol's is in getting lost in its stacks.

"It's dramatically different than the space we used to have over on Gilman," says Czerwien. "This … has all of these different rooms and alcoves, so for the customer it makes for a more interesting environment to explore."

And there is much to explore. Avol's book selection covers a wide spectrum of authors and subjects with an emphasis on academic and scholarly works. While you won't find the latest bestsellers--with the exception of works by local poets--every book you see is used, and there's bound to be something that piques your interest. There is an impressive array of mystery novels, shelves of Socialist history and manifestos, and a fine selection of poetry. The books range from one-dollar bargains to rare collectibles.

"We carry everything from science fiction to children's books to cookbooks," says Czerwien. "But we'll also carry physics and philosophy and mathematics and cultural studies."

All of the books are vigorously inspected as well, to make sure the reader isn't buying a lemon.

"I pride myself in trying to buy books that are in exceptionally good condition," says Czerwien. "I think you'll find very few books in the store that are highlighted, underlined or marked up, or in poor condition."

Avol's support of the city and its writers is equally laudable. Madison's stories, art and architecture are celebrated through local novelists, poets and scholars featured at the store. Avol's even holds monthly open mic poetry readings as well as other events to help local artists gain recognition within the community.

"It's gotten to the point now where we even get contacted by poets from outside the state of Wisconsin who might be passing through the state on a book tour asking us if they can read here," says Czerwien. "So we've also become a place for events."

Avol's is even an attraction for out-of-towners. According to Czerwien, much of the foot traffic to the store comes from summer tourists. What they find is a store designed for people to sit down, relax and discover. A place that rewards visitors with increasing returns the more time they spend in its depths. A split second impulse to enter Avol's Bookstore can easily turn into an all-afternoon endeavor if one is not careful. It's that easy to get engrossed.

"What I like best about the store is what people tell us, that they haven't seen anything like it before," says Czerwien. "They love the selection, they enjoy the space itself, they appreciate that we do support the local writing community. Those are all things that we are very happy and very proud to do."

Avol's Bookstore

avolsbookstore.com

315 W. Gorham St.

255-4730