Buying a business and parenting on their own are demanding, so combining the two can be doubly challenging.
But the new co-owners of Mystery to Me, an independent bookstore on Monroe Street in Madison, are finding ways to leverage those experiences to their benefit, and to those of their customers.
Hannah Davidson and Hilary Burg, who took over Mystery to Me on Jan. 2 from retiring owner Joanne Berg, are taking a page from their lives as new mothers to bring expanded programs to the neighborhood shop, at the same time they offer a personalized experience in the age of Amazon.
The duo are well-versed in the business. Davidson, 29, joined Mystery to Me in 2019 after leaving a career as a high school English teacher. She became the children’s book buyer and manager, building relationships with local schools and librarians. Burg, 32, arrived in 2022 after working as a writer and managing editor for Travel Wisconsin. She has since taken charge of the store’s subscription program and is a familiar face to regular customers.
“We’ve been working with Joanne on the transition for about six months,” Burg said. “She told us early on that her only regret regarding the business was not starting it sooner, which helped give me confidence in my decision to buy.
“I didn’t anticipate being a business owner, especially at this age, but hearing Joanne say that made me think I would look back and be happy to have taken it on when I did.”
Burg added that when the pair were first considering buying, she thought a lot about how owning a business would affect her daughter’s childhood. After weighing pros and cons, she realized that, while she may work more hours, co-owning the store would allow for the kind of flexibility she wants for her family, such as the option to work from home or bring her daughter to the bookstore with her.
“I also want my daughter, Elliott, to grow up seeing her mom doing something she’s passionate about,” Burg said. “I never want Elliott to feel like she has to choose between having a family or fulfilling career, and I am proud to be setting that example for her.”
Attracting a new audience
Davidson and Burg are eager to build on the store’s success while bringing fresh ideas to the table. Their plans include expanding the number of community events, adding book clubs, and launching initiatives like a Baby’s First Book Club, where parents can discuss books while their children play. They’re also looking forward to reviving in-person events inspired by the virtual Bookseller Happy Hours popular during the pandemic.
“We’re lucky to be a part of a fantastic community on Monroe Street and we’re always learning more from our customers about what kinds of bookish experiences they’re looking for,” Burg said. “Hannah and I are bringing our particular passions and backgrounds to the bookstore, and the goal is to blend those with our customers’ interests to create something special.
“For example, Hannah and I are both new moms to 1-year-old daughters, and starting a Baby’s First Book Club felt like a natural way to lean into this stage of life we’re in, while also creating an opportunity for community and connection among our customers, something we know they’re looking for.”
Another idea involves leaning in to the staff’s love for book recommendations. Customers can expect to see even more handwritten Post-it notes on books throughout the store.
“We’re excited to come up with creative ways to help more people find books they love,” Burg said.
Competing in a digital world
Throughout the years, Mystery to Me has weathered challenges that have shuttered many small businesses, including the COVID-19 pandemic and competition from online retailers like Amazon. The owners credit the store’s continued success to the Madison community’s support for independent bookstores and shopping local in general.
“We truly get to know our regular customers, and I believe that makes all the difference,” Burg said. “No algorithm can know someone better than a real person with a genuine interest in their life and reading taste.
She marveled at how often readers come to the store, “knowing their book won’t be as heavily discounted as it would be online but choosing to spend their money with us anyway.
“I really believe people want that human connection — that feeling that they belong to a local bookstore is more meaningful than saving a few extra dollars,” she said. “We are so grateful every time someone makes that choice. A search engine probably won’t be able to find you a book for that one uncle who’s read everything and loves birdwatching and won’t read anything over 400 pages, but we can — and will have fun doing so!”
Davidson is equally committed to upholding this spirit.
“Independent bookstores are a force for good in the community,” Davidson said. “We’re excited to keep fostering that and finding new ways to connect people with books.”
 Continuing the story
Davidson and Burg admit they didn’t foresee becoming bookstore owners. For Davidson in particular, working at Mystery to Me was meant to be a temporary stop following her teaching career on the way to something new.
Their apprehension was assuaged, however, with the prospect of sharing the workload as co-owners, which will allow them to balance the challenges of work and family. Former owner Berg, who herself didn’t originally set out to operate a bookstore, helped bolster their confidence.
A retired University of Wisconsin–Madison administrator, Berg bought the inventory and bookshelves of Booked for Murder on University Avenue in 2013, and put her own stamp on the business, relocating it to Monroe Street and rebranding it as Mystery to Me, with a broadened focus that included fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books.
“We’re so thankful for Joanne and for the customers who make this place what it is,” Davidson said. “We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
