Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Thank you for your patience while Wild Rumpus continues to evaluate the impacts of COVID-19. At this time, we are still requiring masks for everyone over the age of 2.
As a retail space dedicated to the well-being of young people—including their education, emotional growth, and physical health—we continue to follow the best available science to keep everyone who walks through our doors safe. We are acutely aware that this virus impacts the most vulnerable among us, including older folks and the immunocompromised. This includes many children and their caregivers.
Vaccines and boosters have made this pandemic more manageable, but other measures such as wearing masks in public also make a difference in slowing the spread and mutation of this virus. As we enter the holiday season and many people will be traveling, we are hopeful that these measures can continue to keep us safe, but we also worry that this travel will cause cases to spike again, which is one reason we are keeping our mask policy in place.
We will continue to reassess this policy in the future, and we thank you for doing your part in keeping our staff and your fellow bookworms safe by continuing to wear masks while visiting Wild Rumpus and staying home when you feel ill or have possibly been exposed to COVID.
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Dear Wild Things,
It’s been over a year since closing our purple door because of COVID-19, but we are now back open for limited in-store browsing. What does that mean? We remain committed to keeping our staff and customers safe—especially our littlest customers who are still not eligible to receive vaccinations. With that in mind, here are our policies:
- All customers (ages 2+) and staff will be required to wear masks for the foreseeable future.
- We are limiting the number of customers allowed in the store at a time to allow for proper distancing between parties of customers.
- Our hours will remain limited so our staff can adjust to these new policies.
Current hours: Open for browsing 10AM-5PM Tuesdays–Saturdays, 1PM-5PM Sunday. Closed for browsing and order processing on Monday.
Why masks? To protect young readers who are not able to get vaccinated yet, and to make sure they do not feel singled out as the only ones who have to wear masks. The physical and mental health of our young friends will remain a top priority for us.
Why limited capacity? To ensure that everyone has the space they need to feel comfortable. If you arrive to the store and our “At Capacity” sign is on the door, please wait outside the store for a few minutes and we will let you in as soon as we can!
Why limited hours? This is a big change for our staff! After a year of operating as a warehouse (albeit one with some playful critters around) we need to adjust to these changes, as well as train staff on some new duties and tasks. We will expand our hours as soon as it makes sense.
Thank you so much for your support over the last year. We’re thrilled we can reopen and see you again in person (the cats are excited too!).
—Wild Rumpus
Friday, May 28, 2021
Dear Wild Things,
We’re reopening SOON! But not yet. And you can help! If you have an order that you haven’t picked up yet, please come pick it up! As soon as possible! Curbside hours are 1-5PM daily, with the exception of Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day. Orders not picked up after 30 days will be donated so that we can clear our packing and counter space.
As we work to reopen, here’s what we’re up to:
- Making our aisles ADA accessible
- Restocking and organizing our shelves
- Making sure our animal friends are safe and healthy
- CLEANING
- Training staff on new duties and tasks
Our goal is to reopen for limited in-store browsing as quickly as possible (again, not quite yet!). Here are some things to know when we do:
- Masks will be required for all staff and customers
- We will limit the number of customers in the store
- Our hours will remain limited
Thank you so much for your patience and your support—we can’t wait to see you in person!
—Wild Rumpus
Monday, March 15, 2021
Dear Wild Things,
Today marks one year since we first closed our little purple door because of COVID-19. Since then, we’ve worked hard to connect with and support our community online while keeping our staff and customers safe. We’ve added new browsing options to our website, including hundreds of book lists compiled by our booksellers. We’ve hosted more than one hundred virtual story times, dozens of online events with authors and illustrators, two book drives for local non-profits working for racial justice, eight school book fairs, twenty-five school author visits, and three monthly book clubs for young readers. Last summer, when we saw a surge in sales of books about racism and injustice, we were honored to donate a portion of our proceeds to three non-profits: CTUL, NdCAD, and BLM.
While we’re proud of the new ways we’ve been able to connect virtually, we anxiously await the day that we can see you all in-person again. That’s why it is with great anticipation that we announce RUMPUS IN THE WILD, an outdoor pop-up sale located in the parking lot behind Wild Rumpus!
Saturday, April 24, 10AM-3PM: RUMPUS IN THE WILD - Independent Bookstore Day Outdoor Pop-up Sale!
You can expect book browsing, live bookseller recommendations, themed sales, and, yes, animal visitors!
We remain committed to keeping our staff and customers safe, and right now, that means keeping our storefront closed. We continue to offer online ordering and recommendations, virtual events and book clubs, and curbside pickup from 1-5PM daily, including weekends and during the RUMPUS IN THE WILD sale.
Thank you all for your love and support over this past year. You are the reason we’re still here!
-Wild Rumpus
Monday, January 9, 2021
For the safety of our staff and customers, Wild Rumpus continues to operate ONLINE ONLY. We are committed to keeping our storefront closed to the public until we feel it is safe to welcome readers back through our little purple door.
- Our Curbside Pickup hours are 1-5PM daily (including weekends). Beginning in January 2021, customers will have 30 days from the date of order completion (not the date that the order is placed) to pick up curbside pickup orders. After that time, unclaimed items will be donated. (We’ll send a reminder one week before donating items.) Find more details about curbside pickup HERE.
- Returns: While our storefront is closed, returns will be accepted for store credit only, which will be issued as a digital gift code. Please drop off items for return during curbside pickup hours, and include a receipt with a contact name, email address, and phone number. A gift code will be issued via email within 24-48 hours. Find our return policy HERE.
While we miss talking to our customers face-to-face, a visit to Wild Rumpus is an immersive, interactive experience, and one that is difficult to envision with proper social distancing measures in place. We continue to offer online book recommendations and virtual book club meetings, story times and other events.
Thank you for your understanding, and for your continued support. We love you so.
-The Wild Rumpus Staff