Grab a bottle of wine or a coffee with your new book at Book + Bottle in Florida American Booksellers Association, USA TODAYAugust 22, 2025 at 9:01 PM Independent bookstores are the heartbeats of their communities.
- - Grab a bottle of wine or a coffee with your new book at Book + Bottle in Florida
American Booksellers Association, USA TODAYAugust 22, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Independent bookstores are the heartbeats of their communities. They provide culture and community, generate local jobs and sales tax revenue, promote literacy and education, champion and center diverse and new authors, connect readers to books in a personal and authentic way, and actively support the right to read and access to books in their communities.
Each week we profile an independent bookstore, sharing what makes each one special and getting their expert and unique book recommendations.
This week we have book buyer Dominic Howarth of Book + Bottle in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Grab a bottle of wine or a cup of coffee with your new book at Book + Bottle in Florida.
What's your store's story?
We are a wine bar with books and a book store with wine and coffee. Opened on the outset of the pandemic in March of 2020, we are an intimate space that fosters community and connects people with their next favorite novel or grape varietal. We are always showcasing authors and vineyards that align with our values (fiercely feminist, earth friendly and politically left of center).
What makes your independent bookstore unique?
The hybrid concept of wine bar, bookstore and coffee shop is unique to our area – a wide swath of people from all walks of life and interest are able to come and enjoy the space, almost like a choose your own adventure book. Because we are the only coffee shop open into the night, we are a safe space for groups of people to connect who don't want their social life to be centered around alcohol. We are known for our hospitality – I would argue that we have the friendliest, kindest staff in the area. Customers become regulars, who become friends, who become family.
Grab a bottle of wine or a cup of coffee with your new book at Book + Bottle in Florida.
What's your favorite section in your store?
I am in love with our horror section. Modern horror is at the forefront of political movements and are the fables of our time. Colonization, racism, ableism, homophobia and misogyny are all put on blast − the ghost story is the perfect allegory for everything. Prove me wrong.
What book do you love to recommend to customers and why?
"Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin is a book I will recommend until my lips are blue. I adore Sammy and Sadie and Marx − by the end of the novel I felt like they were my family, they were so brilliantly rendered and fleshed out. It's not a love story, but a story about love − about the love we deserve, the love we accept and how we can use that love to overcome our worst traumas.
What book do you think deserves more attention and why?
"Shark Heart" by Emily Habeck is a book that left me breathless from crying so hard. A debut that didn't get nearly the love it should have − it is daring in its form, mixing vignettes, screenplay, and poetry. It is harrowing in its emotional depth − a story of a newlywed couple as they traverse a shocking diagnosis, as the husband is told he is transforming into a great white shark. This is what the fantastical nature of fiction can do. Using a plot so strange, it gets to the heart of a universal feeling; how grief permeates and transforms us for the worse and hopefully for the better.
Grab a bottle of wine or a cup of coffee with your new book at Book + Bottle in Florida.
Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important?
The simplest answer is that it stems from the tide of our world falling apart. The more face to face, human interactions we have in our day to day, we remember what is worth fighting for − things like community, compassion, and love. It may seem ridiculous to attribute that to a bookstore, but we truly believe that they change the world for the better with one story at a time. Living in a world of algorithms and mega-corporations selling our data any chance they can, to connect with a human to get excited and say, "Oh my God, I know exactly what you should read next!" is an experience unlike any other; soul affirming if I have ever seen it.
What are some of your store's events, programs, or partnerships coming up that you would like to share?
Check out our events page for upcoming events. Here are ones that we are excited for in the next few weeks.
Sept. 9: Sip + Spell: An Adult Spelling Bee
Sept. 14: Sparkling Soirée: A Curated Sparkling Tasting Party
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Book + Bottle in Florida is a hybrid bookstore, wine bar and cafe
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