Antiquarians focused on local works, Hyde Brothers Booksellers has managed to cram over 150,000 rare, unusual, and odd books behind a cozy brick façade nestled on one of Fort Wayne’s most creative streets. The staggering Hyde collection, organized by loose genre and piled from floor to ceiling, extends down into a labyrinthine basement level.
Although the entire collection is for sale, Hyde Brothers tries to keep at least one copy on hand at all times of some favorites and classics. Early editions of books by Indiana authors like Kurt Vonnegut, John Green, and Gene Stratton-Porter are mandatory. Also on the must-keep list are military histories such as wartime journals and writings of conscientious objectors, and classic literature. Ben-Hur, penned by an Indiana native who also served as a Union general, is a crown jewel in their collection.
The Hyde Brothers collection grows through their buying and trading program, which allows visitors to bring in books they suspect have some value for appraisal and swapping. They don’t accept damaged or marked-in books, which makes it all the more impressive that they have works of local history dating back to the early 1800s.
