Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Sometimes a bookstore is a work of art in its own right.

Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar in Asheville, NC is a visually enticing masterpiece of a bookshop that just so happens to offer literary themed cocktails, charcuterie boards and awe-inspiring desserts. You really have to see it to believe it!

The multi-level space is a labyrinth of books on every topic imaginable. Comfy chairs and cozy reading nooks are located throughout the shop with a few chairs tucked away in more “hidden” spaces for those that might want a bit more respite from the real world.

I was utterly overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it all. I had to do two complete sweeps of the entire shop to make sure I hadn’t missed anything!

Sensory overload is a real concern when visiting this shop. For example, here is one section of art books…

And here is the display case of antique and collectible books…

I was thrilled that we visited on an evening that offered live music and it seems that they do so quite frequently. Obviously, we had to celebrate with a couple of bookish beverages!

My hubs had The Great Gatsby and I had The Secret Garden.

When it came time for us to mosey on, our check was brought to us in a Dr. Seuss book!

I’m sure you must be curious… what’s in the bag??? Take a look…

First, how much do you LOVE the design of the bag with the book and wine glass detail on the sides? I purchased a blank notebook in the style of those composition books from way, way back in my university days. This one in particular caught my eye because of the reference to Eadweard Muybridge and his photographs of jockeys on horses. It also has a special double meaning because it makes me think of the film NOPE by Jordan Peele – one of my favorite films by one of my favorite directors – and how important that black jockey is to the magical realism of the overall story.

In the meantime, for more on the fabulous Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar in Asheville, NC, please visit…

Welcome!

6 thoughts on “Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar”

  3. What an interesting place! I hope to make it there one day. Thanks for featuring it.And congratulations on your book, Adrienne. How exciting!Uschi Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

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The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.