Welcome to Winona

Winona, Minnesota, is about a two-hour drive from Minneapolis. It’s nestled between the Mississippi River to the north and the Sugar Loaf rock formation to the south. Like many smaller cities across the U.S., family businesses drive the economy, and if you’re picking up donuts from Bloedow’s Bakery, chances are you’ll run into someone you know.

Actress Winona Ryder was born in and named after the town. In January 2020, she returned with a small team from Squarespace to make a photographic exploration of the place and its people.

The result is this book, Welcome to Winona.

An empty street in a small town during winter, with snow on the ground and bare trees on both sides. In the distance, a hill with a distinct rock formation on top is visible under a cloudy sky.

Aerial view of a snow-covered residential neighborhood in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains.

Close-up of a rock formation with carved engravings, some partially visible, in winter with snow at the base and a pale sky background.

An elderly man with glasses, a beanie, and a beard resting his head on his hand, wearing layered clothing including a yellow scarf and a plaid shirt, in front of a wooden background.

A cheerful elderly man with glasses, a gray beanie, yellow scarf, red sweater, and layered clothing, sitting on the floor in a store or thrift shop, smiling.

Outdoor sign with multiple business advertisements, including WINONA 111 MARKET, Catholic Charities, Counseling, Bodyworks Health, and Crowley.

An empty parking lot with a few parked cars and shop buildings in the background, on a cloudy winter day.

Sinclair gas station with a mountain in the background, snow on the ground, and fuel prices displayed on the sign.

A car wash station with a sign saying "CARWASH" and a message board reading "HAPPY HOLIDAYS." There is a fuel price display showing 2.99 per gallon, a fueling pump, and a small store with a glass door and windows.

Red sports car with taped rear license plate area, parked on snowy and wet asphalt.

Inside a garage with two covered cars, a vintage van, and a blue riding lawn mower, with industrial metal walls and red window frames.

Wet patches and ice on pavement reflecting sunlight, with some small puddles and water streaks.

Rock face with numerous carvings and graffiti, partially covered in snow.

Industrial buildings and storage tanks behind a chain-link fence, with snow-covered ground, utility poles, and a yellow dead end sign, under a clear sky.

A railroad bridge crossing over a body of water with trees on either side, and a distant landscape with hills under a pastel sky.

A person ice fishing on a frozen lake during sunset, with a cabin and trees in the background.

A man ice fishing on a frozen lake, sitting on a small folding chair surrounded by fishing gear, buckets, and supplies.

Man standing on snow-covered lake holding a fishing rod, dressed in winter clothing, with a mountain in the background.

Street view with emergency entrance of a hospital, parked cars, power lines, and a mountain in the background during winter.

An older woman with a headscarf holding two loaves of bread, standing against a plain white wall.

A young woman with long, wavy brown hair working on a desktop computer in an office setting.

A building with a sign that reads 'Technology Demystified' and a black and yellow 'HELP' sign. There is a tree with brown leaves in front, snow on the ground, and power lines in the background.

A large white and red machine resembling a flight simulator sits in a room with bookshelf and window.

An older man wearing a colorful sweater, beige pants, and sneakers standing on snow-covered ground outdoors with a building and cloudy sky in the background.

Close-up of an elderly person turning pages of a white book or magazine while standing near a window.

An elderly woman with curly hair and glasses leaning on a bed, smiling.

Wall with photos of dogs and an airplane, the words "and Winona" in red, and a sign with an arrow and text about service at the front desk.

A man standing on the steps of a building in front of a glass door that has the address 207 Lafayette Street. The door has signs displaying hours and holiday hours. The building has a colorful mural above the door with the word 'Winona'.

Empty bus stop with benches under a blue awning, surrounded by trash bins and a white wall with small vents.

A beige metal building with a shadow of a tree cast on it, a yellow pole leaning against the wall, and a snow-covered ground with tire tracks.

A house at night with illuminated interior viewed through large front windows showing three people sitting on a couch, including a man, a woman, and a child, inside a cozy living room.

Empty gas station at night with illuminated signs and wet pavement, snow on the ground.

A man looking through a glass window at an indoor setting, with a red stocking hanging on the wall behind him.

Close-up of a vibrantly colored patterned carpet with circles in purple, red, green, yellow, and orange, along with a metal railing.

A young man standing in a parking lot at night, illuminated by nearby streetlights and background neon lights, wearing a dark cap, dark zip-up hoodie, matching sweatpants, and sneakers.

A man with short brown hair, wearing a patterned jacket and blue graphic T-shirt, is raising his right hand with his index finger pointing up and appears to be singing or cheering, standing in a lively bar or restaurant. There is another man in a bla

A cluttered room with boxes, artwork, and miscellaneous items. A stained-glass decoration with religious text and symbols is visible near a window.

An empty room with a wooden chair with green cushions against a cream-colored wall, illuminated by sunlight through a window.

Indoor decorative scene with large palm trees and other plants in front of signs and a black structure, in a space that appears to be a shopping mall or similar public area.

A stage with closed blue curtains decorated with a gold letter G and ornate patterns, red velvet chairs in the foreground, two potted plants on the left side, and a black speaker on a stand.

A smiling man in a blue jacket and black pants standing with his arms crossed indoors. Behind him is a large display case filled with numerous gold trophy awards, with two chairs in front of the display and a red door to the right.

Side view of two houses, one yellow with siding, one red brick, with snow on the ground and a clear sky.

Nighttime scene of small colorful houses on a snowy, icy waterfront with a large illuminated bridge in the background.

A young man with red hair standing in a parking lot at night, wearing a blue t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, with a backpack on the ground beside him.

American flag flying on a pole above rooftops with a snow-covered mountain in the background.

Living room with a large window showing a body of water outside, a white table lamp on the windowsill, a framed picture of an airplane, and a lamp with a white shade and ceramic base.

Vintage living room with a wooden window ledge holding an old radio and speakers, surrounded by vintage furniture including striped and green upholstered armchairs, with a view of a foggy landscape in the background.

Snow and salt flats with pink lithium evaporation ponds near a body of water.

Snow-covered shoreline with small houses and trees, partially frozen water, distant trees, and a pastel-colored sky.

Close-up of dark, rippling water with visible bubbles and streamlines.

Dusk over a calm river with floating houses, some with decks, and leafless trees along the shoreline.

A man sitting at a large wooden conference table with a gavel in front of him, in a formal setting; he is wearing a dark suit, white shirt, patterned tie, and glasses. The nameplate on the table reads 'Mark Peterson, Mayor,' and there are empty chair

Taxidermy of a life-sized leopard in a glass display case in a museum with marble walls and a plant nearby.

Painting of a scenic outdoor landscape featuring a river, lush green trees, a hill, and a distant mountain with a structure atop it, under a partly cloudy sky.

Empty outdoor waterpark with a large green water slide, fenced perimeter, and surrounding buildings with leafless trees, on a cold, overcast day.

Modern building exterior with large glass windows, a part of a brick wall, and security cameras on the roof and wall.

A wooden hunting or observation tower in a snow-covered field with a clear sky, a few trees, and houses in the background.

Theater stage with mural depicting a fantasy scene of dragons, demons, and monsters in a cave with red curtains on sides and a few chairs and couches in front.

A man standing in a room with a stack of red chairs in the background, wearing a gray zip-up sweater, blue jeans, and brown shoes, with sunlight casting a shadow on the wall.

Bank of yellow mailboxes with a black "Winona" sign above, a potted plant to the right, and a small wooden table with brochures in the corner.

Interior of a building with a green marble reception desk decorated with red poinsettia plants, a lion taxidermy display on a ledge, and festive wreaths on the wall.

Empty street scene with large industrial grain silos on the right, utility poles along the sidewalk, snow on the ground, and a partly cloudy sky.

Residential backyard with a fence, grass, two small houses, and large baseball field lights in the background with a visible partial moon in the sky.

A solitary leafless tree standing on a snow-covered field with rows of cut crops, under an overcast sky.

Snow-covered field with animal tracks and a burned patch of ground.

A large painted landscape mural depicting a river flowing through a mountainous area with trees and rocks, set in a room with some potted plants and a wooden floor.

A man making a shaka sign with his hand, wearing a red 'Trump 2020' hat, with a lively expression in a casual setting.

A suburban neighborhood with houses, trees, and a parking lot with multiple cars, winter scenery with some snow, and a clear sky.

A small commercial building with a sign reading 'Birthright' with a phone number in the window, next to a yellow house with a small porch, in a town on a winter day.