Owner Greg Ketter and an employee were attacked and robbed as they were closing Minneapolis’ DreamHaven Books for the night on November 9. Ketter said in a public Facebook post:

2020 is the just the gift that keeps on giving. Ryan and I were just beaten and robbed tonight as we were closing the store. Ryan took some serious punches to the head and face. I must have been hit in the head but it happened so fast that all I remember is being on the floor as the two assailants kicked, punched and scattered books and shelves. Somewhere along the way they did get my wallet (I think it fell out of my pocket as I was fighting them off) and the days total cash. I managed to get up and get behind the counter and grab a baseball bat I keep for just such a purpose and they ran out. I chased them (I’m pretty slow). They had an accomplice waiting across the street and they peeled out before I could get their license number. We’re bruised and battered but we’re still whole. I’m going to be sore tomorrow.

Ketter added in a comment:

I think we’ll all be OK. Tomorrow is Ryan’s day off and I’ll check in with him to make sure he’s all right. We have some shelves to fix up and books to sort out but it’s mostly minor stuff. It’s mostly emotional damage for me – I’m just so tired of this stuff.

Earlier this year, DreamHaven suffered damage in the wave of vandalism that struck Minneapolis during protests in May against the death of George Floyd, but no one was present or injured when the store was broken into and damaged that time.

[Thanks to Kathryn Sullivan and James Davis Nicoll for the story.]