While searching for a location to open their dream bookstore in Appleton, an unconventional option caught the eyes of a married pair of veterans-turned-entrepreneurs. The old Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) building was in rough shape, but it immediately felt right to Katherine and Steve Freund.
“We drove by and thought, ‘Oh, that’s definitely the one,’” Katherine says. The building’s character combined with its history and connection to the couple’s own military background made it the perfect fit to become The Tardigrade’s Bookshelf. The new “book-bar” offers bookshelves brimming with science-focused titles that surround a classic supper-club bar serving creative mocktails and low-alcohol drinks. It’s a place where community, curiosity, and connection thrive, say the Freunds, who hope their book-bar will help to redefine what it looks and feels like to gather together in Appleton.
For Katherine, a former library director, and Steve, a middle-school science teacher, the idea for The Tardigrade’s Bookshelf grew out of their personal passions. After leaving the Little Chute Public Library, Katherine wanted to continue supporting the community by fostering a dynamic, social environment for people to linger, share ideas, and enjoy great books. This enthusiasm merged with Steve’s love for teaching people about critical thinking and research-backed science, and the couple began to dream of creating a space where people could come together over science books.
Their logo includes a tardigrade—an eight-legged micro animal known for its ability to survive some of Earth’s most extreme habitats and conditions—holding books in its many arms. Tardigrades have developed a bit of a cult following in popular culture, having been featured in television shows and movies in recent years, such as Marvel movie Ant-Man and the Wasp. “Tardigrades [serve] as an unofficial mascot of science nerds on social media,” says Steve. “They’re resilient, quirky, and a perfect fit for the vibe [of our bookstore].”
The VFW building also fit their concept perfectly. “It had been neglected for so long, and we knew we could bring it back,” Katherine says, though renovating the space while respecting its storied history wasn’t easy for the couple. “It was three months behind and over budget, like every good project.”
Updating the VFW to meet modern accessibility standards was a particularly challenging task, but the result is, the Freunds hope, a welcoming space for people from all backgrounds. Inclusivity and accessibility are woven into every aspect of the space, in the form of gender-neutral bathrooms, sensory-friendly designs, and thoughtful seating arrangements to ensure that all patrons feel welcome, whether they’re veterans, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or anyone seeking a calm, friendly environment. “There’s a perception of what a veteran is, and not everyone fits that,” Steve says. “[We] want this to be a space where all veterans can feel comfortable.” Both Steve and Katherine are veterans of the U.S. Army.
The old bar, with its mid-century, supper-club charm, has become the centerpiece of their vision. The bar shelves, which once upon a time were stocked with various alcohols and spirits, are now fully stocked with various books and literature-inspired trinkets. “We didn’t want it to feel like a traditional bar,” Katherine says. Instead, the Freunds envision The Tardigrade’s Bookshelf as a space for quiet conversations or for people to sit, read, and enjoy being surrounded by books.
The Freunds are also renting other portions of the VFW building to local businesses they believe will help to foster a shared sense of creative community. “It’s like a community mall-club,” Katherine says. “There’s an event space, a commercial kitchen, and somebody that sells records, which creates a larger dynamic than just us being here.” The Freunds are also planning to host a variety of events and book clubs, including an LGBTQ+ Ally Club and a “spicy” book club for readers who enjoy romance novels with a science-related or science-fiction twist, such as Outlander or Lessons in Chemistry.
The Freunds plan to host additional events that reflect their passion for science and learning, such as astronomy nights led by local professors or “hot-topic” nights when people can have educational and productive conversations across differences. “We want this to be a place where people feel encouraged to explore new ideas and connect with others who share their interests,” Katherine says. They plan to “adapt to what the community needs, but always through the lens of good science and inclusivity.
In the spirit of that inclusivity, The Tardigrade’s Bookshelf is a “sober-ish,” or low-alcohol, bar. The book-bar offers a wide selection of non-alcoholic alternative drinks, coffee available all day, and low-alcohol beers and wines. “With our family history, opening a typical bar would have felt wrong. But a space where people can enjoy a drink without the pressure to get drunk? That felt right,” says Katherine.
“We wanted to lean into low-to-no alcohol because there’s nothing like that in the community,” says Steve. “It’s not a place for shots or getting blasted. It’s a space for connection.” The mocktails, too, have science-themed names, and many of them are paired with books that can be found on the surrounding bookshelves. For example, readers can enjoy a “Not-Hoth-Tini” while reading one of the many Ice Planet Barbarians installations, or a “Carlota Moreau” while being sucked into the world of The Daughter of Dr. Moreau.
Even before opening in early spring 2025, The Tardigrade’s Bookshelf has already created a lot of buzz in Appleton. Its combination of books, science, and sober-ish drinks is unique in the community, say the Freunds. “We want people to leave with a new book, a great conversation, and the feeling that they’ve found a place where they belong,” says Steve. “Who doesn’t love being surrounded by books? Even if you’re not a reader, there’s something soothing about this place. It’s for everyone.”
Science fiction-inspired mocktails from
The Tardigrade’s Bookshelf
Not-Hoth-Tini
Inspired by the Ice Planet Barbarians series
by Ruby Dixon.
Ingredients
1.5 ounces mock rum
3 ounces ginger beer
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice
6 dashes aromatic bitters
1 tablespoon fava foamer
3 frozen blueberries
1 drop of blue food coloring
Fill shaker with ice. Add mock rum, lime, food coloring, bitters, and fava foamer to shaker. Shake hard for one min. Pour into a martini glass, being sure to get the nice foam on top. Slowly, on side of glass, add ginger beer to fill glass. Garnish with the blueberries speared on a cocktail spear and added to the glass.
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Carlota Moreau
Inspired by The Daughter of Dr. Moreau
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Ingredients
2 ounces non-alcoholic gin
4 ounces non-alcoholic grapefruit beer
1 tablespoon honey mint syrup (recipe below)
Honey
Tajin seasoning
Mint garnish
Honey mint syrup
1 cup honey
3 bags mint tea
2 dried chilies
1 cup water
To make the honey mint syrup, add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for 2 min. Chill to room temp, remove tea bags and chilies. Chill before use.
For the mocktail, add ice to shaker. Add syrup and gin to shaker. Dip rim of 16-ounce Mason jar into honey and then Tajin seasoning. Fill jar with ice. Pour in mixture from shaker, pour in grapefruit beer to fill glass. Garnish with sprig of mint.
