Business & Tech
Backwater Books Offers Sips And Stories, Along With Live Music And Open Mic Night
An independent bookstore in Old Ellicott City doesn't just sell books, but offers cocktails, mocktails, live music, open mic night and more.
ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Many business owners struggled to find a way to stay afloat during the global coronavirus pandemic. Matt Krist and his wife, Alli, decided to quit their teaching jobs during this time and opened a bookstore instead in the fall of 2022.
"We thought a bookstore was educationally adjacent. Books, wine and beer, along with live music," Krist told Patch. "We serve a very diverse customer base with books for young and old, across all demographics."
Backwater Books, located at 8156 Main St. in Ellicott City, also hosts a variety of community events including author talks, book clubs, open mic night and more. There is a steady rotation of Sapwood Cellars beer at the bookstore's BiblioPub, and there are cocktails and mocktails that match themes of books the store highlights periodically.
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The independent bookstore is open Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Books also can be bought online at https://backwaterbooks.com.
Find out what's happening in Ellicott Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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