Story on the Square, a new independent bookstore and bar in McDonough, Ga., has officially opened, the South Metro Neighbor reported. The bookstore half of the business sells both fiction and nonfiction for children and adults, with particular emphasis placed on food, gardening, culture and Southern and local history. The bar half of the business, meanwhile, is called Rough Draft and sells craft beer, wine and an assortment of food.
"There's been a real renaissance when it comes to independent bookstores," owner Stephanie Gordon told SMN. "People are moving away from big box retailers and are looking for localism. It's a romantic idea to spend a rainy day in a bookstore with a glass of wine."
Gordon, who is also a physician, has been working toward opening Story on the Square since 2016. That year, while part of a leadership program in Georgia that saw her working with politicians, educators, civil servants and entrepreneurs, she was asked what she would do for a career if she wasn't a doctor and could do anything she wanted. Immediately, Gordon thought of opening a bookstore and bar.
Not long afterward, Gordon and her husband purchased an 8,000-square-foot building on McDonough's town square that dates back to 1900 and was once a Masonic Lodge. The bookstore and bar are located on the ground floor, while the second floor features a large events space that can be rented out. Over the past few years, Gordon did an extensive amount of renovations on the building and even hired a historical contractor and preservationist to guide the process.
When it came to opening Rough Draft, Gordon actually had to work with the city council and local government to change the town's liquor laws. Up until very recently, the town essentially only allowed for restaurants to serve alcohol. Gordon and her husband helped establish a new category for taverns or bars, which did not previously exist in McDonough.
Gordon told SMN that during a soft opening a few weeks ago, some 250 people stopped by to check out the new business. The shop and bar are now open seven days per week.