Restoried Bookshop on Kedzie in Albany Park Aspires to Enhance Access to Writings by Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians

CHICAGO (WLS) — There’s a relatively new bookstore on Kedzie Avenue in Albany Park focused on increasing access to the literary works of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

It’s called Restoried Bookshop, and on the shelves are stories that too often have been overlooked.

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“To me, Restoried is all about bringing our narratives and their various forms back to our communities. This way, we can enrich our understanding of our identities and histories. Our mission is to draw a fuller picture of our past and a more dynamic vision for our future,” Justin Valas explained.

Valas, who is third-generation Japanese American, is the owner of Restoried, which has the feel of a community center.

The bookstore, launched last November, might be unique in Chicago, with nearly all its offerings coming from AAPI writers, a sight Valas seldom encountered in the libraries and bookstores of his childhood.

“I didn’t really see our stories and our names on the shelves. There was no real section for Asian American stories,” Valas said.

Customers can find classics, like Ronald Takaki’s “Strangers From A Different Shore,” but also lesser-known works of all styles and genres.

The store also hosts book talks and signings, with members of Chicago’s growing Asian American author community.

“I was at least in my 20s, possibly even in my 30s, before the first time I read a book with a Filipino American main character. You know what I mean? That’s a really long time to never see yourself in the media that you love the most,” author Mia P. Manansala said.

Manansala, who was born and raised in Chicago, this week released her sixth novel: a murder mystery entitled “Death in the Cards,” which is set in Chicago with AAPI characters, including a Filipina American detective.

Her book is representative of the community’s diverse voices.

“I’m not just being bulled, facing racism, or dealing with the immigration status of my parents. I get to fall in love. I get to be the detective and solve my own case,” Manansala said.

At a time when brick-and-mortar bookstores are struggling to stay in the market, Valas says Restoried is finding success by filling a cultural and literary niche and building community, one book at a time.

“There’s something about an in-person experience and especially something that is built by community for community,” Valas said.