Come June, café goers who frequent the Atomic Cafe in Beverly will have the option of popping next door to browse the shelves at Cabot Street Books and Cards.
Part of the local HugoBooks company, the bookstore was originally set to open last August at 272 Cabot Street. But renovations have taken longer than anticipated, according to owner Frank Kaminski, who also operates Kaminski Auctions.
“The building was Band-Aided for years, and the big wall that we opened up — there were problems,” he says. “The contractor delayed. It’s been a long winter, but we’re in the final stretch.”
Cabot Street Books and Cards is the latest venture of father-and-son team Bob and John Hugo, owners of HugoBooks, which comprises the Spirit of ’76 bookstore in Marblehead, The Book Rack in Newburyport, and the Andover Bookstore, along with a Phillips Academy e-store. The Hugos have been patiently waiting for the move. “It probably should’ve been torn down,” they say of the Cabot Street building, “but [we] wanted to keep [its] character.”
The bookstore and café will be more than neighbors—an interior door between them will be open to allow patrons to grab some food and go pick out a book, or vice versa. The pair of businesses already has a similar set-up in Newburyport.
For full story, go to: www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/new-cabot-street-bookstore-to-open-in-june/article_f3d00a41-c7ed-50e1-8306-4366499f6876.html