When you consider all the retail in Downtown St. Pete, it’s amazing that we don’t have a small independent bookstore. Sure there’s Haslam’s, Florida’s largest new and used book store which opened in 1933, but you can’t really hang out there. They have no tables or chairs, no coffee or tea, no bookclubs or storytime. Haslam’s is living history, but it’s not a community gathering space.

Owner Terra Dunham has recently embarked on an adventure to bring St. Pete a new concept featuring two of her favorite activities – reading books and drinking wine. She calls it Book + Bottle. You can think of it as a bookstore with wine or a wine bar with books.

Earlier this week, Dunham signed a lease to bring Book + Bottle to the 600 block of Downtown St. Pete. Specifically, the new bookstore/wine bar will be located at 17 6th Street North, formerly Holmes Shoe Repair, right behind Wig Villa off Central Avenue.

Buildout of the interior will begin soon to add bookshelves, a bar, comfy seating, and restore some super cool historical architectural features. Dunham is hoping to open the doors by December.

The book selection will be highly curated by Dunham, featuring the best in literary fiction, celebrity bookclub picks, bestsellers, and other mind-opening reading material. There will also be small sections dedicated to women, local literature, and Russian lit, as a tribute to our city’s founding father, Peter Demens, from Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The wine list is still being built, but expect Book + Bottle to offer a variety of styles at reasonable price points. Enjoy by the glass, by the bottle or take one home with you! Beer, coffee and snacks will also be available.

In St. Petersburg, we value businesses that value community. We appreciate when the barista knows our coffee order or when our waiter recommends the special because he knows our taste in food. Dunham wants to get to know her customers as well, and is planning to host a number of community events at Boko + Bottle such as bookclubs, wine tastings, kiddo storytime, and much more.

Dunham is a self-proclaimed oenophile (I had to look it up too) and bibliophile. After recently working for a startup, she mustered up the courage to quit her job and become her own boss. Book + Bottle is the result of 10+ years of experience in publishing, book sales, customer service, and intensive wine study. Last year, she passed the Introductory course from the Court of Master Sommeliers and is currently pursuing the Certified Sommelier designation, which she hopes to achieve in 2019.

So if you’re looking for a place to read, spruce up your book collection, take a class, enjoy a bottle of wine, work remotely, try new types of wine, chat with friends, learn something new, or just relax, Book + Bottle will be the place for you.

Be sure to give Book + Bottle a follow on Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date on construction progress and a grand opening!