Barking Goose Bookstore Bar and Cafe to Open in Newburgh this March
From F. Scott Fitzgerald’s inebriated tale of Tender is the Night to Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, alcohol and literature have long been intertwined traditions. Over the past few centuries, alcoholism has inspired the characters in our most celebrated novels, as well as fuel the creative juices of literary royalty. Even today, in our ever evolving culture, people are finding new and creative ways of fusing alcohol and literature. This is most true of Newburgh’s Jenifer Flynn and Lani Ricozzi, owners of the Barking Goose Bookstore Bar and Cafe.
After an eventful trivia night at Rough Draft, a bookstore bar in Kingston, New York, Jenifer Flynn and Lani Ricozzi decided Newburgh needed a version of its own. Feeling inspired, they began searching for a suitable property to open the bar, eventually opting for a space on North Plank Road in Newburgh.
The building will consist of two main areas for customers to hang out, the “bar room” and the “living room.” The bar room will have a custom bar built by local carpenter Bonnie Gulden, where customers can order a variety of beverages, including on-tap beer, hard cider, wine and coffee, as well as comfort food. This room will also be home to a multitude of fully stocked bookshelves, for readers to peruse and indulge themselves. Meanwhile, the living room will be lined with comfy couch and chairs, where customers can sip on a beverage while reading their favorite novel.
Co-owner and self proclaimed “foodie”, Ricozzi will be in charge of running the kitchen. Although the final menu has yet to be set in stone, the owners say that one can expect a variety of comfort food staples, such as chili, quesadillas, sliders, giant pretzels, and cheese platters.
Flynn and Ricozzi say they would eventually like to incorporate events for the local community, such as trivia nights, game nights, and book clubs. They also plan on installing charging stations for phones and laptops, making the Barking Goose a nice spot to “stop-in” and charge up for a bit.
As for the bookstore bar’s eccentric name, the Barking Goose, the owners say it was inspired by their dog named Goose (who apparently loves to bark).
Opening at the end of March, Barking Goose Bookstore Bar and Cafe will be the third establishment of its breed in the area, along with Rough Draft Books and Bars, as well as Spotty Dog Books and Ales in Hudson, New York.
Learn more about Barking Goose Bookstore Bar and Cafe here.
