Coffee and wine bar The Reading Room opened last week in downtown Decatur, taking over the former Java Monkey space on Church Street.
Owned by friends and Decatur residents Mary Tveit and Kristin Radcliffe, The Reading Room already appears to be filling the void left behind by the beloved coffeehouse and community gathering place. Java Monkey closed after a devastating arson attack by a disgruntled former employee in 2018. Regulars have mourned the loss of the coffee shop ever since where regular poetry readings and open mic events were held weekly.
“I was a big lover of Java Monkey and it left a hole in our community when it closed,” said Tveit, who owns a design and marketing company and used to bring her children to Java Monkey. “Kristin’s only lived in Decatur for a couple of years, but used to live around the corner from it and didn’t know the backstory.”
Radcliffe walked by the Java Monkey space one day and noticed it was for rent. She immediately called Tveit about finding the perfect location for The Reading Room. It was a full-circle moment for Tveit.
Wandering into The Reading Room, you’ll find a cross-section of Decatur residents and visitors – from high schoolers grabbing coffee before class and people reading or writing quietly at the bar to groups of friends sipping wine and cocktails and families with children enjoying hot chocolate.
Tables line a cushioned banquette across from the bar, with a reading nook toward the back of the room. Large dimpled metal chandeliers and basketweave cage lights illuminate the space. Books outline an archway leading to the kitchen and restrooms. Tveit asked a young customer to count the books in the archway. He counted 146 and received a macaron for his efforts.
Honoring Java Monkey’s ethos was important to Tveit and Radcliffe when developing the concept behind The Reading Room. Like Java Monkey, Tveit and Radcliffe plan to host poetry readings and…
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