Book Bar, a new business offering books, hot beverages and mocktails, opened its doors to hundreds of visitors for its first soft opening on Saturday.
Owner Brittany Haynes said the community response was “overwhelming.”
She said they were expecting short bursts of customers after the Facebook post announcing the soft opening received hundreds of likes, comments and shares.
Instead, they were serving Book Bar patrons constantly throughout the entire day — sometimes even having a long line snaking down the center of the store.
“We really appreciate everyone’s support and patience today,” Haynes said. “Everyone was so sweet. This community is absolutely amazing.”
She said there was a line outside the business at 50 N. Railroad St. at 11 a.m. when she opened the doors, and flipping the open sign on for the first time was a memorable moment.
LebTown previously featured the incoming business back in March.
Haynes said she wanted the decor to evoke a “dark academia” vibe, and visitors seemed to appreciate it.
Customers of all ages were represented on Saturday. Haynes said the store is for everybody, but people interested in fiction will have the most options.
Bethany Hoffer and Rachel Witkovsky work at the Palmyra Church of the Brethren behind Book Bar. They said they’re both big readers and were happy to support a locally owned bookstore.
“I feel like Palmyra is really great with small business, so I’m hoping that this is another well-attended, well-visited space,” Hoffer said. “It’s nice to support somebody. You can actually see them and know that you’re supporting a local family.”
They said they’re excited to have a place close to the church to stop inside and relax.
“A lot of the coffee shops around here are really nice, really cute, but they are closing at 1 or 2 p.m.,” Witkovsky said. “Walking distance to where there’s coffee and books, it’s just perfect.”
Witkovsky lives in York and commutes to Palmyra. She said she hopes Book Bar will be a good place to hang out when she’s in the area.
“I feel like this will be a nice place, like a second place besides work if I have to stay in town,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll have an evening meeting, and so between work and the evening meeting, I think this will be a really nice option for sitting.”
According to Haynes, she’s hoping to bring this “third space” to Palmyra.
“I hope Book Bar brings an additional space to gather for the people of Palmyra and the surrounding areas,” she said. “Having a third space outside of home and work is such a crucial thing, and I am hoping that’s what we can provide for everyone.”
Haynes said she’s planning more soft launch dates until a grand opening in mid-November. The next soft opening was scheduled on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Once the shop is fully open, the hours will be Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
And once they get into the rhythm of running a business, visitors will be able to do more than just shop and snack.
“We hope to really engage with the community with book clubs, author signing and events, and doing collaborations with other local businesses in the future,” Haynes said.
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