If you’ve strolled down the Blackstock Road in North London, you’ll have noticed the striking yet welcoming exterior of BookBar, a space that has always lived by the mantra of ‘bringing people together through books’. Combining the beauty of a bookshop and wine bar, it’s served as an independent literary hangout for those wanting to browse books, read, or natter while enjoying a glass of wine or coffee.
Earlier this year, it was announced that a second BookBar is opening in London, and now that day is upon us – with a flagship shop just off the King’s Road throwing its doors open today (June 5). Anyone is now welcome to head in to check it out, and those who purchase a book over £9.99 will be offered a complimentary bottle of glass of fizz or bottled soft drink to celebrate.
What can we expect from the second BookBar shop?
Everything that has endeared the current BookBar to so many will be present in the new 1,200 square foot space, which will also serve as a bookshop, wine and coffee bar, and social space. Plus, the intimate events with writers that have been central to BookBar’s success will be built on at the new flagship space.
BookBar has already revealed a stellar lineup of evenings taking place across the next month to open events at the flagship store in style. On June 19, you can head over to the new space to hear Katie Kitamuta talk about her book Audition with fellow author Caleb Azumah Nelson picking her brain. On June 23, you can attend an evening with the masterful Elif Shafak, author of the stunning There Are Rivers In The Sky and The Island of Missing Trees – the former of which has just come out as a paperback.
Fast forward to June 30, and you can see Jessica Stanley speaking on her romance novel, Consider Yourself Kissed with Natahsa Lunn, before Alice Slater (celebrating the publication of Let The Bad Times Roll) joins BookBar for an evening of cocktails and conversation. Oisín McKenna, author of the acclaimed Evenings And Weekends, will be hitting BookBar on July 29 to speak to Francesca Reece and thus rounding off the opening run of events in style.
Of course, this beautiful lineup is just the start, and there will no doubt be plenty more authors and members of the literary world heading through the doors to share their wisdom. In the past, BookBar has hosted evenings with authors from Gabrielle Zevin to Dolly Alderton and David Nicholls, and there will be plenty more of these to come.
BookBar’s second shop will also act as a space to continue the community ethos established at the Islington site, with their book clubs, meetups, and late-night browsing and wine-sipping. The Bookbar BookClub allows members to view virtual author events, attend in-person meets, enjoy discounts and perks, and with the news of the second BookBar shop coming to London, there hasn’t been a better time to try it out.
Speaking on the news earlier in the year, Chrissy Ryan, founder of BookBar, said: “BookBar has grown from strength to strength since we opened during the pandemic in April 2021. In those four years, BookBar has expanded from two to seven team-members, been a three–times finalist for London’s Independent Bookshop of the Year, hosted high profile events, launched a growing subscription Book Club service and built a large and engaged community of book, wine, and coffee-lovers.
“As a business, we feel ready to take the next step, and I cannot wait to bring our passion for celebrating the social side of reading to Chelsea and contributing to its thriving cultural scene.”
BookBar’s second shop is open now at 11 Chelsea Manor Street, SW3 3TW.
