Slow Down at Book Society
By Camille Morgenstern
Book Society founder Laura Guzman (left) runs her book shop, wine bar, and gathering place with business partner Sarah Wheat. Photo by Kara Brodgesell, courtesy of Book Society
If you’re one who feels instant joy in a bookstore, Book Society is for you. Inspired by the cozy library of her youth, owner Laura Guzman created a thoughtful space at 2945 College Avenue in Berkeley, where literature, wine, and community converge. Now in its second year, this Elmwood gem has much to celebrate.
Following the pandemic, Guzman longed for reconnection, and she took a chance on this desire percolating in others as well. Coffee shops are places to stay and work, but there were several in the neighborhood, and Guzman wanted a laptop-free zone that encourages conversation and connection.
Envisioning a “third space” where guests would come to linger, Guzman hired San Francisco architecture firm Studio BANAA, a bold leap for a new bookstore owner. But as she says, “the space is central to the experience.” The design evokes a historic European library with luxurious Art Deco styling.
The Book Society experience is a mix of the relaxing library corner you don’t want to leave and the lavish wine bar you can’t wait to share with friends. Wines are paired with books—like Ruth Reichl’s The Paris Novel with a French Saint-Joseph Rouge “Les Ribaudes,” and Chris Pavone’s Two Nights in Lisbon with a Portuguese Freire Lobo Dão Touriga Nacional—and each month explores a different theme. Guzman describes the pairings as “more of an art than a science.” A small snacks menu features local purveyors of olives, caviar, cheese, and chocolate.
From the start, Guzman planned for a multifaceted business, where community building happens on many fronts. She’s been cultivating a devoted following through a robust calendar of community events with author talks, multiple book clubs—like the Cookbook Lovers Club and the Secret Romantasy Fan Book Club—a puzzle night, a coloring circle, and Sunday in the Stacks, which pairs morning yoga with a non-alcoholic mimosa. Travel programs are in the works, and there’s a membership program that makes frequent visits especially enticing. For private events, guests can enjoy a celebration menu. A local cake partner gives those occasions the Book Society touch.
This vibrant in-person hub might seem against all odds in our digital age, but Guzman says she’s fulfilling her mission. “It comes from a hospitality perspective.”
What’s next for Book Society? Guzman shines as she says she’ll continue nurturing existing members while integrating the literary community and finding ways to extend through the local neighborhood and beyond. ´
