Exclusive: Afterword Tavern & Shelves is adding coffee hours
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Afterword Tavern & Shelves is waking up earlier and getting caffeinated.
Why it matters: The East Crossroads bar, where you can order a Negroni and Nabokov in the same breath, will start opening in the mornings tomorrow with coffee service available all day.
- New hours mean you don't have to wait until 4pm to linger in a tucked-away booth with a good book. The full cocktail menu will still be available, too.
What they're saying: "People love being here," general manager Kate Hall told Axios. "So we're just giving them more hours to do that."
- New hours are 10am-11pm on weekdays, 10am-midnight on Fridays and noon-midnight on Saturdays.
- The menu includes lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, Americanos and Afterword's full cocktail lineup, in case your morning calls for a Manhattan over a macchiato.
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The big picture: The shift came after Afterword hit a year of internal business goals. Hall said expanding hours just made sense, especially in a part of downtown with limited coffee options.
- Afterword's known for a literary-themed cocktail menu and cozy nooks perfect for solo readers and book club energy alike.
- "People buy books not just at night," she said. "It makes sense that you can come buy one at noon without it needing to be tied to a cocktail."
Hall says they're not trying to compete with other local coffee shops like Messengers or Café Corazón.
- "We're not putting our entire program behind our coffee," she said. "But we have this beautiful space and people who want to be in it more."
What's next: Hall says they're in early talks with Bloom Baking Co. about offering pastries. The team is also playing with ideas for seasonal coffee specials using ingredients from their cocktail program.
- Nothing is final yet, but the espresso tonic may make a comeback (please please please).