Why We Post What We Post: Community, Transparency, and the Tardigrade Way
We're not here to argue on the internet — we're here to build something different.
Tardigrade’s Bookshelf was never meant to be just a bar or a bookstore. We didn’t start this project simply to make a living. We built it to make a space we wish already existed. A place where introverts, neurodivergent folks, book lovers, science nerds, artists, and curious thinkers could gather without overstimulation, intoxication, or exclusion.
A place with intention. And values.
We’re not just building a customer base — we’re building a community. We post what we post because we believe people deserve to know the values behind the places they support. It matters to us where our money goes, and we imagine it matters to our community, too. Just like we wouldn’t want to shop at a business that funds causes we oppose, we want our customers to have clarity and transparency about what we support, what we stand for, and the kind of community we’re building together.
And it’s not just our social media posts. These values show up in everything we do — in our events, our programming, our merchandise, the donations we make back into the community, and in the conversations we have with each person who walks through our doors. Tardigrade's Bookshelf is unapologetically us.
We’re veterans, and this is patriotism. We’ve received comments suggesting our stances are unpatriotic, especially as veterans. We respectfully disagree. We fought, and served, and sacrificed so that people in this country can live freely, speak openly, and stand up for what they believe in. That includes us. Being a veteran doesn’t mean we toe a single political line — it means we uphold the freedoms that allow disagreement, diversity, and progress.
Supporting Indigenous rights, speaking truth about history, calling for equity and justice — these aren’t political stunts. They’re human responsibilities.
We believe in business transparency and consumer responsibility. As consumers ourselves, we care about the impact of our spending. We don’t want our money funding organizations that contradict our values — and we assume our customers feel the same. That’s why we are open about what we support, what we share, and what kind of space we’re trying to grow.
This isn’t performative. This is personal. We know not everyone will agree with us. That’s okay. We aren’t trying to please everyone — we’re trying to build a place of belonging for those who’ve felt unseen, silenced, or unwelcome elsewhere. Tardigrade’s Bookshelf is a project of care. And caring sometimes means speaking up.
If you have questions, we welcome conversation — but not conflict. If something we post sparks curiosity, we invite you to reach out, or even better, come by. We’re always happy to talk about what matters over a good book and a better beverage. But we won’t debate our existence, or our values, in Facebook comments. We’re too busy creating the space we wish we had always had in Appleton. And the best part? Our supporters are happily doing that for us — because they believe in and love the community space we're building together.
We’re here. You’re welcome. We’re not asking for permission, and while we would love for everyone to be inclusive and critical thinkers, we’re not here to change the minds of people who are already dug into a worldview that isn’t based on human compassion and critical thinking. We’re building something good, with or without approval — and the door is open for anyone who wants to be part of it.
