What is it about the combination of books and booze that's prompting entrepreneurs in the Midwest to offer patrons their choice of these stimulants? First, Jodee Hosmanek began selling books, wines and single-malt Scotch at Ocooch Books & Libations in Richland Center, Wis., last fall. Now, Susan Takacs is planning to sell books and wines at the Book Cellar in Chicago's gentrifying Lincoln Square neighborhood, tentatively set to open June 11.
The 2,400-sq.-ft. Book Cellar will have an inventory of 1,500 titles. Approximately two-thirds of the retail space will contain books, while the remainder will be a café area, offering a variety of wines, available by the glass or the bottle, for on-site consumption. Takacs is planning to offer a selection of six red and six white wines, priced from $6 to $10 a glass. The café will also provide a selection of light foods to accompany the wine-sipping and book-browsing: sandwiches, salads, cheeses and pastries.
