Minneapolis bookstore sales climb after widespread photo of owner at demonstration

Greg Ketter is shown in Minneapolis. (Theia Chatelle)

MINNEAPOLIS -- Greg Ketter has spent nearly five decades selling comic books and science fiction novels at DreamHaven Books and Comics in Minneapolis. This week, his phone hasn’t stopped ringing.

Ketter said his store has seen a surge of online orders and messages of support after a photo of him at a recent protest circulated widely on social media. The image appears to show Ketter moving through a cloud of tear gas during a demonstration following the killing of Alex Pretti, which happened just minutes away from his store.

Ketter said he went to the protest after learning about Pretti’s death.

“This is personal, being right here in Minneapolis,” Ketter said. “I mean, this is the U.S. government attacking its own people, and that’s what just got to me.”

Ketter, 69, said he did not intend to draw attention to himself and was surprised to learn he had been photographed. “I wasn’t even running,” he said. “I just walked.”

In the days since, customers from across the country — and even internationally — have contacted the store to place orders or express support. Ketter said the volume of traffic temporarily overwhelmed DreamHaven’s website.

“It’s been insane,” he said. “I never pictured anything like this. It’s gone truly global.”

Among those who visited the store in person were Jeff and Rachel McMahon, who said they were moved by the image and wanted to support Ketter and his business.

“When I saw the photo of Greg and looked into who he was in the community, we felt like we had to come down and thank him,” Jeff McMahon said.

Rachel McMahon described Ketter as a hero, a label he rejects.

“I don’t know why I deserved all that,” Ketter said. “People have been amazingly kind.”

Ketter said any donations made through an old GoFundMe page connected to the store will be redirected to local food shelves. He said he hopes the attention leads to positive action within the community.

Despite the attention, Ketter said he plans to keep doing what he has always done — running his store and serving customers.

By Nick Lunemann