Dorothy June Booksellers in Foley, Ala., has added a cafe called the Telegraph Espresso Bar, Gulf Cost Media reported.
The new cafe had its grand opening on Saturday, October 24, coinciding with the store’s third anniversary. The menu includes hot and cold coffee drinks as well as seasonal options like pumpkin butter lattes and spiced apple pie chai. The opening festivities included a photo booth, limited-edition ornaments, and the debut of new store-branded merch and bookmarks.
Located at 107 W. Orange Ave., Suite A., Dorothy June Booksellers carries general-interest titles for all ages and hosts signings, release parties, book clubs, and other events. Owner Reide Irwin founded the bookstore in 2023, naming it in honor of two of her great-grandmothers, both of whom liked to read. The name Telegraph Espresso Bar, meanwhile, is a nod to her grandfather's great-grandfather, who worked as a telegraph operator in Foley.
Irwin, a lifelong reader who grew up in Foley, moved back to her hometown after working in the film industry in New York. Irwin told Gulf Coast Media that upon her return, she couldn't "believe we don't have a small independent bookstore that only sells new books and does events for the community, and so I really wanted to bring that and provide that."
She added, "It really brings me joy every day to come in. It's my favorite thing I've ever done."