Places to Visit: The Book Barn
During our shoreline vacation, my husband and I made plans to visit The Book Barn in Niantic, CT. Self described as “a bibliophile’s bliss”, these three, unique locations provide an unconventional bookstore experience - with endless aisles of floor-to-ceiling books and sprawling outdoor spaces - that is almost more storybook adventure than shopping trip.
In our continuing attempts to always buy local, we already had over a dozen books in our car from previous bookshop excursions, but this didn't stop us from immediately diving into the stacks to scour our own respective sections. My husband found himself in a back section called "The Haunted Bookshop", which I entered eagerly, anticipating mystery and horror. Instead, he immediately immersed himself in the math and technology section, while I instead perused the poetry shelf on the other side. A glance out the window showed kitschy decorations and overgrown grass, nestled between several rustic buildings.
Eventually, I found myself at the location down the street, seeking the music and performing arts section, but found myself pleasantly distracted by the cats lounging around every corner. "Please no snacks!" signs around the wall begged, presumably to protect both the books and the feline residents (who were certainly not suffering from lack of food).
A stroll back around the main barn led us to two friendly goats and an underground cellar filled with historical selections and other literary treasures. Around this time, clouds began to roll in and distant sounds of thunder sent every blue-shirted employee to the front as they quickly relayed orders to one another. Despite the majority of shelves being outside, they are relatively well covered, and we watched quietly as the staff efficiently protected the exposed books with practiced ease.
Despite the light rain, it took us nearly an hour to wind through each individual section and browse the unique selections. It's easy to spend an entire afternoon here, losing track of time as you wander through the labyrinth of books. It’s just as likely that you’ll find the newest bestseller as a rare vintage classic. Both casual readers and devoted bibliophiles will find this a must-visit destination. Books, cats, flowers … surely what more could you want? Follow The Book Barn at @bookbarnniantic, learn more about their different sections on their website HERE, and be sure to drop by for a visit!
