While infamously and historically books and booze have always gone hand-in-hand (at least for some writers), BookBar, a new bookstore/restaurant-and-bar in Denver, Colorado, provides a new way to have the book-buying and beer-drinking experience. Offering a carefully picked gourmet menu, wine-and-book pairings, beer, coffee, and ample space for book clubs, readings, and the like, the BookBar is doing well since it opened its doors at the beginning of last summer.

In an attempt to create an atmosphere that offers more than an online purchase can promise, storeowner Nicole Sullivan wants to draw people together using the written word. The store’s Happy Hour event is popular with families, providing children’s programs simultaneously with drink specials. The Book Club Hub, the store’s space reserved for book clubs, is one of its biggest draws so far. Available for book clubs wanting to reserve the space, Sullivan coordinates group orders and discounts chosen titles. Book club picks will be displayed in the store along with monthly wine and book pairing recommendations.

Sullivan realized her dream materialized when, during a poetry reading, a crack of thunder blasted through the sky as the poet lifted his arms at a pivotal moment, causing the audience to burst out in laughter. Sullivan said of the moment, “This is exactly what I intended to do, to bring together a whole room around poetry or literature… to see everybody laughing together. This is it, this is what I wanted.”

For a less obvious variation on the traditional bookstore, visit the Book Store and Barber Shop in Coney Island, which advertises a price of just $5 per book. Focus your eyes on something other than the guy waving scissors around your head; read and relax while your ears are lowered.

Source: American Booksellers Association
For more information see: http://www.bookweb.org/news/bookbar-serve-curated-inventory-alongside-artisan-menu