Variety is the Spice of Life
Within the town of Kingston, New York, resides Rough Draft Bar & Books, a business with a multitude of offerings. While some people might say, “stick to what you know”, the owners, Amanda and Anthony Stromoski, instead wanted to spice things up and do something different with their lives. Opening in 2017, Rough Draft is not just a bookstore, but one that sells coffee, beer, and pastries as well.
Both had their own careers with nothing to do with the food and beverage industry — Amanda was a journalist and freelancer while Anthony was a teacher and assistant principal — but both saw the potential to do something together. “Well, these are two things that we really love and we’ve always been drawn to spaces like that,” Amanda said. “Whenever we travel, we like to look for bookstores and coffee shops and bars or breweries in the towns that we’re visiting.” It was these visits as well as stores like Barnes and Noble, with their little cafes, that served as the catalyst for Rough Draft’s inception.
In deciding the layout, the Stromoskis did not just want “grab-and-go” but provide a location where the community could come together. “[We wanted to] draw in all different kinds of people; people who might not necessarily step foot into a bookstore usually, or people who might come into a bookstore but not stay very long. The bar and cafe aspect of it could entice them to get a drink, sit down, chat with some other people around them and really turn it into more of a community space than just a shopping center.” Carefully balancing the need for ample seating, at the bar as well as sofas and communal tables, with the display of books, the Stromoskis created a space that felt both comfortable and inviting.
Operating a multi-purpose business comes with its own set of challenges. “As owners and managers, we’re constantly trying to jump back and forth between the different aspects of the business.” The Stromoskis keep a close eye on the business finances and staffing to know which sections are growing the fastest, where staffing adjustments are necessary and what area requires their greatest level of attention. “…we know that they all kind of work together and they all play off of each other. So just because coffee might be our biggest revenue input one month, that doesn’t mean that the books aren’t also important, etc. They’re kind of like driving each other and trading off of each other.”
Like other small Hudson Valley towns, gaining local customers as well as supporting other local businesses is an important part of the synergy that helps a community thrive. To that end, Rough Draft Bar & Books does what it can to help support this ecosystem in multiple ways through their support of local authors, artists and businesses. “We have a local writers section, we have a display that we try to rotate books through every month, and we also do a monthly event called the Local Authors Showcase, where we try to bring in three authors living here in the Hudson Valley.” The Stromoskis don’t stop there as they also have space for other interesting events and offerings, “We occasionally will host smaller businesses who want to do a little pop up here. So, we’ve done ceramic artists who want to come in and set up a table and sell their pottery or we’ve worked with different food vendors who like to set up either in our kitchen or across the street during the summer when it’s nice out.” As an anchor to the downtown community, Rough Draft is always exploring opportunities for neighborhood involvement which include: trivia nights with great hosts, live music, movie screening and sports on a large TV. The owners state, ”It’s mutually beneficial.”
Whether you find yourself in the Kingston vicinity or you make it a purposeful destination, the variety offered at Rough Draft Bar & Books will ensure a memorable experience for anyone looking for a book or brew.
