Milwaukee’s Busiest Author Plans Book Store, Community Hub

3953 N. 76th St., Darick Books Cafe Complex. Rendering from DCD report.

Milwaukee’s most prolific author has big plans for a long-vacant office building.

Darick Spears intends to renovate the three-story, 21,000-square-foot building at 3953 N. 76th St. into Darick Books Café Complex.

Spears currently operates his own book store, Darick Books, at 2977 N. 76th St. But the store has quite the twist: All of the books are written and illustrated by Spears. He also uses the store to help others publish books.

“It started actually as a conversation,” Spears told the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee on Tuesday. He was a stay-at-home father to his three daughters for 10 years and once they were all in school he said he began exploring what to do. “I was talking to God, I’m a man of voice and I said ‘what do I do?’ And I hear a voice that says ‘open up a bookstore.'” The store opened in 2019.

“Most people that enter the store stay a few hours,” he told the committee. They have more than 100 books by Spears to choose from.

“I’ve always seen it but never went in there,” said area Alderman Lamont Westmoreland. On the day he finally did visit, Spears told Westmoreland his plans to expand. “All of the stars aligned,” the alderman said. “It’s a place that’s going to be a connecting place… not only is it going to be a bookstore, but a place for the community to go and connect.”

Westmoreland said the city received several offers for the property, but none moved him like Spears’ community hub.

A conceptual plan submitted to the city indicates that the building would be partially leased as a co-working space. The first floor would include a laundromat and tenant-only gym. The second level would include the book store, a cafe and printing and binding services. Future plans include a rentable studio.

“Congratulations. This seems like a remarkable match,” said committee chair Common Council President José G. Pérez.

“I just love people and love what I do,” said Spears.

Spears would pay $15,000 for the property. A Department of City Development report estimates his planned renovation costs, including a new elevator, HVAC system and roof, at $965,000. “Mr. Spears anticipates a total impact of 57 new jobs, including seven full-time employees,” says the report, which notes he has four employees currently.

The committee unanimously endorsed the sale. The full council will consider the sale on Feb. 11.

In 2022, the city approved selling the property for $75,000 to real estate investor Daniel E. Taylor and “mommypreneur” Sieria Payne. The two were to invest approximately $500,000 in converting the building into 17 small office suites. The plan never advanced.

The city acquired the building via property tax foreclosure in 2011 from Makbul Sajan. Built in 1970, the building was listed for sale in 2021. The property includes a 30-stall surface parking lot to the north of the building. It was once assessed for $649,000.

The building used to be known as the Capitol View Professional Building. It’s housed a variety of tenants including dentists, jewelers, insurance agents, counselors and marketers. The partially exposed basement was used as a religious assembly space.

3953 N. 76th St. Photo from the Department of City Development.

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