The wine bar meets bookstore puts a new spin on “third spaces.”

THREE BUSINESSES IN Metro Detroit are embracing a new take on the “third space,” a regular hangout outside of work or home. Many people look for these third spaces to find community. Common third spaces such as coffee shops, parks, community centers and bookstores often meet this need. But some local business owners are putting a new spin on the idea by combining wine bars and independent bookstores that cater to both readers and wine aficionados.

Twelve years ago, Symantha Duggan was living in Austin, Texas, when she first developed her wine bar/bookstore idea. She went on to live in Paris before moving to Detroit, where she met chef Rob Wilson. The two became partners in life and in their business, Vesper Books and Wine in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood.

The venue opened Dec. 4, 2024, and specializes in cookbooks, with around 900 titles in stock. Duggan personally curates all the books, ensuring that the ingredients required can be found locally and affordably.

“We find such a sense of community and hospitality around food,” Duggan said. “We have such intimate relationships with food. I wanted to use that idea to create something specific and special.”

In Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, another wine and book venue recently opened. Local author Tamela Todd was looking for a way to combine her two passions: reading and wine. During visits to France, Italy, New York City and Denver, Todd visited several successful book bars and brought the concept back to Detroit. Her bar, named Sip N Read, carries a range of both fiction and nonfiction.

“Sip N Read will be like a community where people are eager to learn more about wine and to have conversations
about books,” Todd said. “Not everyone wants to go to the club; a lot of people are looking for more engaging experiences.”

In Grosse Pointe Farms, Lindsay Cotton opened Flyleaf in August 2023. Cotton missed having a bookstore in her hometown and envisioned a space that served coffee, wine and food. Flyleaf ’s inventory holds about 5,000 titles in fiction and nonfiction.

“Lindsay really loves both entertaining and reading,” said Lani Martin, Flyleaf ’s managing director. “She had a different and unique concept, and it’s been working really well.”

Flyleaf has a small kitchen, so the staff makes the most out of the space. The menu features local pastries for breakfast; soups, salads and sandwiches for lunch; and small, shareable plates in the evenings focused on mostly local and seasonal ingredients. In addition, Cotton recently hired a new sommelier who oversees all aspects of the wine service.

“Books and wine are conduits for thinking and exploring,” Martin said.

“They can expand your horizons and transport you to another place and time.”

A lack of kitchen space is also a challenge that the Vesper team tackles creatively. The menu takes its inspiration from European bistros and prioritizes products from Michigan farms. As summer moves into fall, Vesper will transition its menu from salads and summer produce to more hearty dishes like pâtés and terrines.

Wilson manages the wine purchases and mostly sources from small producers and farms that are making wine in an “intentional way” and minimizing the impact on the environment.

Duggan describes Vesper as a cozy apartment. The space is full of original rose marble with several lounges, communal table and a crescent-moon- shaped bar. The building formerly housed a bank vault, and Duggan has converted the space into a Champagne room. Much of her decor is secondhand or custom-made.

“We wanted it to have a sense of intimacy,” she said. “A feeling of being in a sacred space between home and work.”

Although Sip N Read was still under construction as of publication time, Todd described the space as “quaint and chic, like an upscale library.”

In addition to decor, books and food and wine, another key aspect to the culture at all three venues is events centered on wine and books.

Even before Sip N Read opened its doors in late August, Todd already had a series of literary and wine education events in mind. These include both book and wine clubs as well author talks. As the author of three nonfiction books on self-care and mental health, Todd has experience working with writers. In addition, she is a board member of the Michigan Wine Collaborative, an organization that supports businesses in the wine industry. This experience has made her especially passionate about wine education.

“After seeing book bars in other cities, I decided we needed one here in Detroit,” Todd said. “And of course, I’m going to put my own personal stamp on it.”

At Vesper, events include author discussions, food pop-ups and public wine tastings. Duggan also often hosts fundraisers for other organizations and waives rental fees. She is dedicated to making sure Vesper is a resource for the community.

“Detroit is a really special place,” Duggan said. “So we want to make sure that anyone who wants to work with us can. It’s one of our core values that everyone gets to have a seat at the table.”

The space at Flyleaf often hosts author talks and the team plans to start offering more cocktail events. There is a ticketed wine event every week focusing on tasting and education.

“People get so excited to be around the books,” Martin said, recalling the dearth of bookstores in the area. “We feel very supported and our customers are happy to help a small business.”

Flyleaf ’s customers aren’t the only ones who respond positively to the book bar concept. And it’s this affirmation that confirms Martin, Duggan and Todd have discovered an innovative way to meet their customers’ need for connection and community.

“Customers say it feels like an extension of home,” Duggan said. “For them, being here feels like a family affair.”

Shannon Mackie is a marketing professional and freelance writer. Also a self-published author, she lives in Detroit with her family.