Savoy Bookshop & Café [4], the sister store to Mystic, Connecticut’s Bank Square Books, officially opened for business on Tuesday, March 29, in downtown Westerly, Rhode Island, reported Rhode Island Monthly [5].

Annie Philbrick and Patience Banister, who also own Bank Square Books, opened the store with the support of local developers Chuck Royce and Dan King.

The two-level, 2,500-square-foot store is located in the building that housed the historic Savoy Hotel and features white tin ceilings, wood floors embedded with emerald green prisms, a large children’s section, and reading chairs among its shelves of books.

A café operated by Tim and Erika Lebling, owners of the local Wakin’ Up Waggin’ coffee cart, serves Dave’s Coffee, muffins, and Belgian waffles.

Author Matthew Betley (Overwatch, Simon & Schuster) visited the store on opening day for a book talk and signing. Events will continue throughout April with authors Suzanne Rindell (Three-Martini Lunch, G.P. Putnam’s Sons), Maury Klein (Stealing Games, Bloomsbury), and Terry Gaspard (Daughters of Divorce, Sourcebooks), who will hold a Self-Improvement Series discussion on family, relationships, and divorce. Both bookstores will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on April 30 with events and special sales.

A grand opening celebration [6] is planned for April 16, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Additional photos of the bookstore can be seen here [7].