Foxes and Fireflies Brings Warmth and Wonder to Superior’s Former Post Office
A charming and cozy bookstore has breathed new life into what was once an impressive yet imposing space. The Federal Building, AKA Post Office, which had stood vacant for the past decade, is now welcoming visitors once again, with its grand, marbled entryway transformed into a warm and inviting bookstore.
The new bookstore is named Foxes and Fireflies Booksellers and is at 1401 Tower Avenue, Superior.
The owner is no stranger to reading or writing; it’s Maria Lockwood, a reporter for the Superior Telegram for 25 years.
“I’ve been waiting for someone to open a bookstore in Superior for 17 years, and finally I decided, I guess it’s going to be me,” said Lockwood.
Ever the diligent reporter, while writing a business story, she decided to fill out an application for a new program simply to see if the process was difficult.
“I was writing about it (a business program), and I thought I’d just fill out the application and see what the process is like,” Lockwood said.
The program she was writing about was the Venture Home program. It is through the Wisconsin system of colleges and universities. Part of it is a 5-month program called Level Up, a series of workshops for those who want to start a business.
“There’s something magical about walking into a bookstore and finding a book that you might never have picked up otherwise,” Lockwood said.
The store aims to provide that unique experience for the people of Superior, who now have a local haven for book lovers in their community.
During the interview, Lockwood was dressed in greens as she sat on a forest green velvet armchair. The significance of the green is that the theme of the bookstore is in keeping with the north woods of Wisconsin. It’s the same with the name Foxes. Foxes are no stranger to Wisconsinites. She has many orange fox images throughout the store.
“Foxes are in literature all over the place as a very curious, very intelligent animal and curiosity is something that brings people books.”
And of the word Fireflies, she said, “I chose fireflies because not only was it alliterative, but when you see those fireflies in the summer, it’s like a dose of magic.” She compared the magic of fireflies to the magic of finding the perfect book.
Lockwood said browsing the real-life shelves is more fun than browsing the Amazon website.
“There’s nothing like going to a bookstore and browsing and finding something you never would have picked up otherwise and realizing it’s the best book ever.”
She said Superior residents had to go to Duluth to do that.
“Duluth has amazing bookstores,” she said. “But they’re not over here in Superior.”
She said that when the Blatnik Bridge closes for construction, it will be much harder for people to get to Duluth to get books.
“I wanted to make sure we have a bookstore here in Superior so people can get that same joy without having to fight traffic.”
The bookstore occupies about 800 square feet of the former post office foyer. Lockwood purchased a glass sales counter from Two Loons, a recently closed novelty store in Duluth.
The bookstore is a family project for Lockwood and her husband, Dave, who built some shelves for the store. Grandson Leo, 10, also helped build shelves. Other shelves were purchased from Two Loons. Their son-in-law, Alex, helped with moving boxes.
The Lockwoods have seven children: Ben, Luke, Noah, Jacklyn, Devon, Beth and Eilonwy. All have been supportive, but some live outside of the area or have conflicting work schedules, so they can’t have as much hands-on involvement with the store as Eilonwy and Jacklyn.
Board games and puzzles are available at the tables, making it a comfortable place for parents to hang out with their children.
“Lockwood has created a warm, inviting space that makes me feel at home while I hang out with books waiting to become my new friends,” wrote Superior writer Victoria Lynn Smith on her blog Writing Near the Lake, writingnearthelake.org.
Smith continued, “I’m thankful to have a bookstore in my town when that bridge (Blatnik) closes down, driving to them (Duluth bookstores) won’t be convenient.”
Though Lockwood is a reporter who focuses on facts, her favorite genre is fantasy. “I’ve loved fantasy since I was a kid,” she said.
Her daughter Eilonwy is named after a Boyd Alexander character in the book The Black Cauldron.
Eilonwy, 17, also designed the store’s logo – a fox.
Lockwood’s first major order of books was fantasy books. “I knew that genre well, so I was able to say, ‘Yeah, this would be a good one.’”
At the time of the interview, the store had been open for one weekend. Lockwood says the genre that sold the best was the local section.
“That’s really important to me, to have those local authors,” she said.
During the interview, a local children’s author, Erika Adams, walked in with several copies of her rhyming children’s story, a book New Moon’s Family, for Lockwood to sell.
The bookstore sponsors a Silent Book Club once a month. They met outside during the summer. Lockwood provides a canopy, cookies and water.
“There’s something about just putting the phone away, being outside and reading that is very relaxing,” Lockwood said. At their last silent book club, eight readers showed up.
“Maria really studied the competition,” said Jim Caesar, executive director of the Development Association and the Superior Business Center, “I think the market was ready.”
Lockwood visited five independent area bookstores while creating a business plan.
“Every single one of them was so excited for us and so supportive,” Lockwood said. “On opening day, we got flowers” (from Zenith Bookstore in West Duluth).
Since Lockwood works full-time during the week, the store will be open on Saturdays and Sundays only from 10 am to 5 pm.
An author signing event will be held on Oct. 5 for Superior author Gina Ramsey, who wrote Burnt Gloveboxes: Embracing Life When It Goes Up In Flames.
Visit the website at foxesfirefliesbooksellers.com or the Facebook page, search Foxes & Fireflies Booksellers or phone 715-319-9693
Naomi Yager is a freelance writer based in Duluth.
