Gabriel’s Used Bookstore is searching for a new place to call home as its building is set for demolition. For four decades, this volunteer-run bookstore has used community donations to ensure everyone has something to read.

The Saint Michael’s church did an assessment of the 100-year-old building at the start of 2025. The numbers of repairs added up to a large amount. From the roof, replacements of the floor, new windows, and the boilers are just a few of the repairs needed. Expenses reached up around a million dollars, so the church made the decision to demolish the building.

All businesses and tenants of the building have been given until May 1st to vacate the building for demo in the summer. This includes the Used Bookstore and the history it has with the school and the community. Offices for an insurance company, a research firm and the Sami Cultural Center are also listed as building occupants.

History of Gabriel’s Bookstore

The bookstore is tucked in the basement of the old St. Michael’s School building. A building that was built over a 100 years ago. The original building was constructed for a Church that added levels for a school. It was operated by the St. Dominican Sisters from Springfield, Illinois as a school from 1923 to 1981, according to the St. Michael’s website.

Originally the store was set up in the house, just east of lakeside building. A Duluth East High School teacher, Bert Minwegen, started the bookstore back in 1987. Money raised through book sales originally went to St. Michael’s School, which had relocated into the former Lakeside Elementary School on the corner of Pitt Street and 47th Avenue East in 1982.

One of the volunteers who keep Gabriel’s going is Ann Joten. She has been with the bookstore for over a decade and has seen the history and community grow in that bookstore. “We have families that have been coming here from the time their children were little,” Ann said. “People who have been coming to the bookstore for the whole 40-some years that’s been here.”

Through those forty years, volunteers contributed to the bookstore to grow what it is today. one such example, is many of the bookshelves were an Eagle Scout project for the son of one of the volunteers.

As the word spreads, people have been flocking to the store to reminisce about what the bookstore means to them.

Gabriel’s Community

Gabriel’s community goes far beyond the twin ports — people from Chicago, Milwaukee, even as far as Kentucky. All coming to this used bookstore, with many bringing their donations as well.

“We always have about 50,000 books on the bookshelves at one time,” Ann reports. “And as we’ve gotten busier and busier, our average number of books that we get are 125 boxes of books every week.” With the sizable amount of donations the bookstore receives, they decided six years ago to start their bag sale. Gabriel’s hosts its $5 bag sale every day that it is open. They provide paper bags, and all that people can fit in the bag, they get to take home for only $5.

They are also known for gifting books to the community. Regular gifts of books are given to teachers from preschool to college. There is also four different jails and two prisons that are given free books for their residents.

How can you help?

The volunteers who run the bookstore are actively looking for a new location to call home. There is a petition at the counter for people that are interested in helping. The people of the bookstore also said that they have heard people trying to find solutions and connections to see this place continue. No matter what happens, they are still looking for assistance even if it’s helping disposes of the bookstore’s contents.

No plan is set for Gabriel’s Used Bookstore yet, but the community is holding out hope that the bookstore will live on. Volunteers are sure that if it doesn’t continue now, someday the bookstore will return. For now, they are inviting all of their customers to come on in.

To get into contact with the bookstore, the best ways are to reach out to them on their Facebook page, call them (218-525-7542), or visit the store during open hours. Gabriel’s Used Bookstore has kept unique hours with being run by volunteers. The current set hours are below.

• Monday – CLOSED
• Tuesday – 2-pm
• Wednesday – 12-4pm
• Thursday – 10am-5pm
• Friday – 12-3pm
• Saturday – 10am-5pm
• Sunday – CLOSED