Book & Bar, Portsmouth arts and books hub, closing after 12 years: 'Nothing like it'

PORTSMOUTH — Book & Bar, a downtown hub for book browsers, budding poets and musicians from near and far, is set to close this month a dozen years after being founded in the historic Custom House.

The business, owned by Margaritas Mexican Restaurant co-founder and co-owner Dave Pelletier, has announced it will close down after its final day of operation Sunday, Jan. 28.

Pelletier bought the business in June 2017 from its founders, Jon Strymish, John Petrovato and David Lovelace. He plans to keep his long-term lease in place and take time to ponder the future for the commercial unit.

“The goal was to have fun, show people a good place and support the arts,” he said Tuesday. “It was a challenge learning the book business. That’s an additional facet to it. Selling books, dining, entertainment — it was quite a feat to be able to do that for 12 years between my people and the previous owners. There was a lot of joy in it.”

The restaurant, bar and bookstore announced its closure last Friday, Jan. 12, which led to many anecdotes and comments from social media users reminiscing on their memories at the 40 Pleasant St. business.

“It’s been a lot of fun. With any business there are challenges but there’s a lot of joy in it, too. But it’s time to move on,” Pelletier said. “At the end of the day I feel really good about what we’ve done. It’s sad to have people be sad, but there’s a lot of joy in hearing all their appreciation. I feel like we were successful for 12 years.”

News of Book & Bar’s closure comes as the three-and-a-half-story granite Custom House is on the market for sale for $5.8 million. The building, constructed in 1860 at the corner of Pleasant Street and State Street, is currently owned by Ben Kelley, principal of Kelley Family Properties.

More: Portsmouth Custom House, home to Book & Bar, listed for sale for $5.8 million.

Kelley purchased the Custom House for $4.9 million in a July 2022 off-market deal. The building is home to 12 tenants, including the Book & Bar, 5 Thai Bistro and Great Island Realty.

The timing of Book & Bar’s impending closure is coincidental and is unrelated to the building being for sale, according to Pelletier.

“I enjoy having that space,” he said of his lease. “I’m going to probably entertain whatever possibilities come down the road, but right now it’s the middle of winter, and I’m going to take a break.”

Kelley referred a request for comment to Pelletier.

'More than a bookstore'

Book & Bar operations manager Chris Greiner is grateful for the community that formed around the business, noting the staff is heartbroken to walk away.

“As somebody who has spent most of his work life helping to foster places for local arts and artists, the most difficult part for me is probably losing the venue there and what that meant to the musicians and performers,” he said. “When you incorporate that into the mix, it’s not just about the performers and the shows, so to speak. It’s about the people who come in and see a great show, come back and realize there is a local music scene here. It’s just one less venue in the Seacoast and in downtown Portsmouth, in particular.”

“It’s the community of staff, of the guests, of our patrons, the musicians and performers that really make a place like Book & Bar special,” he continued. “It’s more than just a restaurant. It’s more than just a bookstore. I’m going to miss seeing all the people that I’ve seen week in and week out over the last two-and-a-half years.”

Operating the business has been a “labor of love,” the business wrote in its closing announcement on its website, “driven more by passion than financial gain.”

“Sustaining the business posed its challenges and regrettably, the difficult decision to close has become unavoidable,” Book & Bar’s announcement adds.

“When Book & Bar first opened its doors in 2012, the vision was for it to be much more than a bookstore, restaurant, and bar,” the business wrote on its website. “If we could provide a unique and inviting space, and a welcoming atmosphere — fill the shelves with a variety of books to read and discuss, and serve great food and drinks — the effect on the community and culture of the Seacoast would be transformative.

“For over a decade Book & Bar has been more than a business; it has been a home away from home for so many people: readers, writers, thinkers, drinkers, poets, and performers. We’ve played host to people from every corner of the world and from all walks of life: for their celebrations and ceremonies, tributes and tribulations, milestones and memories. In short, it's been a wild and wonderful run.”

The Book & Bar paid tribute to its staff, patrons, performers and the local community for the memories made since 2012.

“Without your ardent support, warm smiles, your music and your conversations, Book & Bar would not have flourished,” the closing notice reads. “We extend to you our heartfelt gratitude.”

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Book & Bar 'never said no to us'

Mike Nelson, chairperson of the Portsmouth poet laureate program’s board of directors, has been a longtime host of “Beat Night,” a 25-year-old spoken word and improvised music program. The program began at the former Crazy Cat Lounge on Congress Street in 1999, then was held at the Press Room from 2000 until 2017.

When the Press Room closed for renovations in 2017, Beat Night was moved over to the Book & Bar that August, where it’s been held ever since.

“They’ve never said no to us,” Nelson said of the Book & Bar. “Over the years they just kept upgrading the space to accommodate the artists and really made it an amazing venue for music and poetry and everything. That’s why it’s so sad that it’s just going to end.”

The city poet laureate program additionally holds a separate poetry reading program, “The Hoot,” at the Book & Bar that will also need to be relocated.

The final Book & Bar edition of Beat Night will be held this Thursday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m., starting with an hour of featured readers and followed by an hour of open mic poetry.

The Press Room has agreed to again host Beat Night starting in mid-February, Nelson noted.

“It’s been the perfect place for poetry readings,” he said.

The Book & Bar is where Nelson discovered Diannely Antigua, the current Portsmouth poet laureate who he nominated for the position after hearing her readings.

“I would’ve never become poet laureate of Portsmouth without our beloved Book & Bar,” Antigua said. “It’s been such an integral part of the poetry scene. It’s been our watering hole, our stage, our office, our community. I’m grateful that Book & Bar opened its doors to me three years ago and devastated that those doors will be closing soon.”

“There’s nothing like it in town or anywhere else,” Nelson said of the business. “If I had the money I’d buy that.”

A send-off celebration will be held throughout the Book & Bar’s final weekend in business.

“I really hope that people will come out between now and the 28th and have a coffee, read a book, have a snack, watch a show, and enjoy the space for the last couple of weeks,” Greiner said. “That’s what we’re here to do.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Book & Bar of Portsmouth NH closing