After alcohol sales OK’d, Books and Brews reopens
Pat and Clare Pelley stand behind the counter in their restaurant, Books and Brews, in Hurricane, W.Va. The couple opened Books and Brews after Pat left his job in the mining industry.
Customer Ravi O’Connor drinks coffee while reading in Books and Brews in Hurricane W.Va. The establishment recently closed to renovate the space to accommodate more customers, and also to add beer and wine to the menu.
HURRICANE, W.Va. – Books and Brews is finally living up to its name and serving alcohol in its establishment – something that hasn’t happened on that block of Hurricane’s Main Street in roughly 70 years.
Pat Pelley, owner of Books and Brews, wanted to combine his two favorite things – books and beer – in one place. But with zoning restrictions, Books and Brews couldn’t sell alcohol at that location, so the Brews in the name originally just referred to coffee
Pelley and another businessman trying to open a bar proposed a rezoning ordinance to allow alcohol to be served on the block. Hurricane City Council passed the ordinance, and the bookstore/restaurant reopened last month.
Although Pelley said his business has done well without alcohol, he loses customers who want to enjoy a glass or wine or a beer with their meal.
“Go to 95 percent of local restaurants and they have beer and wine,” Pelley said.
He thinks council recognized his commitment to running a successful restaurant in Hurricane.
“I’m in it for the long haul. I live above this place,” Pelley said. “They realized that and weren’t trying to steer another business away.”
Pelley and his wife, Clare, opened Books and Brews late last year after Pelley left his job in the mining industry. The family has put in thousands of dollars into the building itself, renovating the building and installing important elements, such as a handicap-accessible restroom.
Pelley said he’s focusing on craft beers, especially local craft beers, and wine.
Pelley said the majority of the feedback they’ve had has been positive, but there are a few people who were unhappy with the addition of beer and wine.
Although the establishment will be selling alcohol, the Pelleys said it doesn’t mean the restaurant is turning into a rowdy bar. They’ll still close at 11 p.m. on the weekends and they won’t sell liquor.
Books and Brews hosts live music on the weekends, and the addition of alcohol will draw in a larger crowd for the shows, Pelley said.
He said the musicians appreciate playing at Books and Brews, because the audience is coherent and is there to actually listen to the music, rather than a late-night bar crowd.
Books and Brews also will be opening later, instead of at 8 a.m. on weekdays. Now, Tuesday through Thursday, the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Pelley said the motivating factor behind these changes is his two young children, who he wants to spend more time with. By pushing back the opening to 11 a.m., Pelley said he gets three more hours a day with his children.
The hardest part of the renovations has been being closed for 18 days and turning away customers, the Pelleys said. Pat Pelley said it’s a gut-wrenching feeling to have to tell a customer that they’re closed.
In addition to adding alcohol sales to the menu, the Pelleys added more seating to the dining area and removed some bookshelves. They’ve also renovated the kitchen to bring it more up to date.
The kid’s corner still remains in the same place, and the couple’s 2-year-old son, John, still thinks he runs the place, the Pelleys joked.
“The whole place is his kid’s corner,” Pelley said.
Clare said they’ve reorganized the books to bring more order and control to the shelves, and focused on quality over quantity.
For information on live music and menu items, search “Books and Brews” on Facebook or books – and – brews on Instagram.