Front Range has plenty of spots for books and drinks
By Harlee Hunt
While some are still mourning the closure of north Denver’s BookBar at the start of 2023, others are finding new stores that allow guests to wind down by grabbing a drink and a good book. From cafés to breweries, here are a few additional locations to seek out this spring.
Trident Booksellers and Café in Boulder originally opened as a Buddhist bookstore in 1980. Shortly after the start of COVID-19, it became an employee-owned bookstore and café, with a heavy focus on community. With a unique selection of new and used books, Trident has become a staple for literature and art in downtown Boulder. They sell both new and used books, coffee and tea, and host beer and wine gatherings most evenings. Events range from book readings and writing circles to comedy nights and live music.
Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood is home to TeaLee’s Tea House & Bookstore, where they “Move to the Rhythm of Tea.” TeaLee’s engaging environment offers customers a welcoming place to relax and connect with others. They rent out their space for private events, and host afternoon and high tea events. The menu includes a variety of food and drink options including beer, wine, tea-infused cocktails, and premium loose tea. Customers can enjoy a quick bite, grab a drink and shop at the bookstore that features not only books, but local vendors, jewelry and more.
The Westminster location of the Tattered Cover bookstore features the company’s first bar, Tattered Cover Best Cellars. The new location is at the Origin Hotel. The bar serves local wine and craft brews from Attimo Wine and Fiction Beer Company. They also offer traditional café items to enjoy while browsing their selection of over 27,000 books. An outdoor patio allows guests to grab a drink and enjoy a book during warmer weather.
Just south of downtown Denver and located in one of Denver’s oldest shopping districts, Mutiny Information Café has something for everyone. The eclectic business includes a coffee bar, book store, record store and comic book shop. Mutiny has a strong focus on coffee, roasting their own beans in small batches at their Trinidad location. In addition to coffee, Mutiny has a wide media selection featuring books, comics, records, posters and more. They also host live events, and offer pinball and a photo booth.
Fiction Beer Company is located in the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver, and while not a bookstore, Fiction Beer Company does have a solid foundation in books. The bar is wrapped in real books and the tables have author quotes engraved on them. They also have several bookshelves making up a lending library where customers can follow the “take a book, leave a book” mentality, all while enjoying their craft beer selection.
The Read Queen Bookstore and Café has been voted Best Bookstore and Best Independent Business and has a passion for bringing people together. The name is pronounced “Red,” using the past tense to highlight the fact they not only sell new books, but used ones as well. Located in Lafayette, this independent, woman-owned business brews popular espresso drinks at their café. While enjoying a drink and a book, customers can also browse their selection of unique gifts, cards and puzzles. They also host a variety of events from live music to book clubs.
Poor Richard’s in downtown Colorado Springs has been a landmark in the community for over 45 years. Beginning as a bookstore and restaurant, then becoming a bookstore and cinema, a bookstore and toy store, and eventually adding a café and wine bar, Poor Richard’s has evolved through the years. Through all of the changes, it has always remained a place where community members and visitors alike can feel at home. Today, customers of all ages can enjoy pizza, coffee and wine while looking through the bookstore, gift shop and toy store.