Indies blend books and brews
Bridgeside Books in Vermont named Gregory Grosvenor’s Second Pocket First as its 2026 One Town, One Book pick and reported selling a combined 917 books across its four One Town selections. (waterburyroundabout.org) In North Dakota, NovelTea in Williston is expanding into a tea kitchen and adding event space to mix retail bookselling with hospitality. (willistonherald.com)
Independent bookstores in Vermont and North Dakota are adding the habits of cafes and community centers to keep people coming back between book purchases. (waterburyroundabout.org) (willistonherald.com) In Waterbury, Vermont, Bridgeside Books has run its One Town, One Book program since 2022, picking a local title each year and building townwide discussions around it. The store’s earlier selections included Catherine Drake’s “The Treehouse on Dog River Road” in 2022, Anne Averyt’s “Vermont Perspectives” in 2023, Annie Selyer’s “The Wisdom of Winter” in 2024, and Amy Klinger’s “Ducks on the Pond” in 2025. (thebridgevt.org) (waterburyroundabout.org 1) (waterburyroundabout.org 2) (waterburyroundabout.org 3) Bridgeside ties those book picks to in-person events. Its April 2026 calendar lists Independent Bookstore Day programming, silent reading parties at host venues including Cask & Cork and Cold Hollow Cafe, and a reading retreat that includes a custom tea blend. (bridgesidebooks.com) In Williston, North Dakota, NovelTea is moving further into hospitality by expanding with a tea kitchen and planned event space, according to the Williston Herald. The paper described the business as a used bookstore that is widening its offerings beyond retail shelves. (willistonherald.com) That mix reflects a simple problem for small bookstores: a book is a one-time sale, but a reading party, drink order, class, or author event can bring the same customer back several times a month. Bridgeside’s schedule already leans on that repeat-visit model with recurring off-site gatherings and workshops. (bridgesidebooks.com) The Vermont store has been building toward that model for years. Waterbury Roundabout reported in April 2024 that Bridgeside’s One Town, One Book project aimed to get readers “on the same page,” and by May 2025 the paper called the summer read a now-annual tradition in its fourth year. (waterburyroundabout.org 1) (waterburyroundabout.org 2) The same playbook is showing up in other Vermont book businesses. A planned Williston, Vermont, store called Wild Meadows Books and Café said it expected to pair books with soups, salads, sandwiches, beer, and wine in a space designed for events and lingering. (finneycrossing.com) (sevendaysvt.com) For indie stores, the shift is less about replacing books than giving them company. In Waterbury that companion is a townwide reading project; in Williston, North Dakota, it is tea, events, and more reasons to stay awhile. (waterburyroundabout.org) (willistonherald.com)
