Dingbats Bookshop decorates the pages of Rogers Park

To the unfamiliar, “dingbat” might sound like a playground insult, highly scientific terminology or the name of an eccentric uncle’s favorite ‘80s cartoon villain. But back in the golden age of typewriters and print, a dingbat was something far more essential — an adorning embellishment, like a printed flower or intricate twirl, cast in between the letters of a page to give a text its distinct character and charm.

So when Dingbats Bookshop opened its doors Aug. 15 on West Morse Avenue, the name wasn’t just a quirky nod to owner Tiffany Macias’ sense of humor — it was a statement of purpose. 

Hoping to grow the bookshop into a genuine third space for Rogers Park, Macias envisions Dingbats as “a fun hangout spot” where locals and students can “wind down and have a third space to pursue creative endeavors.” 

Like its literal namesake, Dingbats, the small neighborhood bookstore was “made to fit in with the font letters” of Rogers Park’s close-knit community, creating a warm welcome for creativity, connection and slow-paced comfort amid the bustle of everyday life.

For Macias, bringing Dingbats to life was equal parts calculated leap and passionate labor of love. Having spent over a decade working in the coffee and restaurant industries, she reached a turning point in her career where she craved empowerment and a chance to put her education to work. 

A California native who moved to Chicago in 2017 to chase city life, Macias went back to school at age 21, earning an associate’s degree in English at Harold Washington College before completing her bachelor’s degree in creative writing at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2025. 

“I think an English degree very much helps with not just knowing what the building blocks of literature are, but why they’re important and why they’re timeless,” Macias said. “A bookstore is still very much retail, but with books you kind of have to have a pulse on not just what people are reading at the moment, but what’s happening in the world that is pushing people to pursue fantasy, escapism, or the like.”

That literary intuition found its physical home right in her backyard. Wanting a short walk to work and a chance to build roots in Rogers Park, Macias turned her dreams into reality when she purchased the space on Morse in July. What followed was a blur of paperwork, IKEA bookcase assemblies and a grueling paint job amid the summer heat.

All that manual labor yielded something far more meaningful than just a place to buy paperbacks — a welcoming neighborhood haven that invites visitors to make use of the tables and seating, board games and “The Artery,” a community-contributed art gallery full of drawings, paintings and 3D creations from local neighborhood talent.

That community-first environment is precisely why local educators and groups have claimed the space as an off-campus home. Senior lecturer Michael Meinhardt recently moved his class, called “The Writing of Fiction,” into Dingbats for a special session, seeking a space where students could build creative networks beyond traditional lecture halls.

“The creative writing community has a long and colorful history of moving beyond the classroom,” Meinhardt said. “Supporting a local bookstore, helping students begin building their own creative networks outside the classroom, and energizing the cadre with a change of scenery — and snacks — provides a fuller foundation for how and where they can continue on their individual creative arcs.”

“It was so cool to be around all these famous novels that were on display — it for sure helped me draw parallels to what others had written, but also gave me inspiration for my next short story,” said freshman Lucy Sommers, who attended Meinhardt’s class at Dingbats Bookshop. “One of my classmates bought pizza, so we got to have a little party before our workshop. That was super fun and definitely made me feel more connected with the space but also with my classmates.”

For him, however, the bookshop’s charm lies in Macias’ willingness to let the space naturally adapt to the people who walk through the doors. 

“The highly personal community investment of the owner allows for myriad interpretations of creativity in our community, and this is a very creative and active community,” Meinhardt said. “Tiffany is crafting the space as both an extension of herself and of that from the neighborhood, so it is evolving, but doing so around a core sense of identity.” 

Macias’ easy hospitality trickles down to the shelves themselves, where she intentionally rejects the trend-chasing, high-consumption culture of modern retail in favor of something more patient and personal.

“It’s mostly about discovery,” Macias said. “Bookstores used to be just small and locally-owned. It wasn’t about moving books. Right now, people are talking about fast literature and what that means for the book industry, but here, you have to pay attention and slow down. I want people to find something that they didn’t know that they were looking for.”

Whether shoppers are stumbling upon a classic, leather-bound volume or gathering around a table for a community event, Macias said she’s eager to keep handing the space over to the neighborhood. 

“I’m looking to open up writers’ workshops if people are into that,” she says. “I’m a little busy at the moment to personally host book clubs and such, but that doesn’t mean that there can’t be a book club in here. If you’re interested, I have the space.”

Whether hoping to experience the love and warmth of a local business or the refreshing smell of old books to spark your artistic inspiration, Dingbats Bookshop at 1441 W. Morse Ave. is an inviting spot for community gatherings and inspiration. They’re open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and closed on Mondays.