Books and Brews offers a completely unique drink, game, and relaxed experience.
Riverside Plaza, a place filled with the oddest shops right at the edge of the White River in Muncie. A place that not many college students venture over to, but one that Muncie locals find to be quaint and endearing with all the oddities surrounding it.
Right at the end of the strip, 2100 W. White River Blvd, you can find a quaint and quiet little place called Books and Brews. At first glance it’s hard to grasp what you’re looking at. Is it a coffee shop? A bar? Why would a bar have books?
The answer is all of the above. Priding itself on its ability to be a “place for those without a place,” Books and Brews is not only a bar that serves craft beer from all over the world, but is also a place for families and friends to come hang out, play games, read, and participate in events. It’s not restricted to 21 and up, unless of course you’re in the bar section, and allows anyone to find a place to escape within their walls.
Books and Brews has been in Muncie for around three years. The owner Jason Wuerfel has made it his mission to create a place where individuals feel safe and unjudged. During Covid-19 shutdowns in April, many bars and restaurants had to plan how to keep their businesses going while also staying safe.
“We have such a loyal and dedicated base of people that come here and support each other, let alone the business, that it’s been really touching,” Wuerfel said.
Wuerfel decided to convert the Muncie location to offer carry-out and to convert the place entirely into a bottle shop. This meant that instead of being open all week, it would be open on Fridays and Saturdays to the public while continuing to offer carry-out through the week.
On the two days Books and Brews is open to everyone, you can find a staff that are brimming with quick wit and contagious energy. Bottles, cans, growlers, bullets, and so much more fill the walls of Books and Brews, with inventory from Germany to Asia and many Indiana-brewed beers and ciders. The staff love sharing their craft-beer expertise, and can help find the perfect drink for customers.
Although beer is their expertise, Books and Brews is a place that knows how to have fun. You can find board games of all kinds to pull from the shelves to play with. They also host events over the weekend that include entertainment trivia, bingo, local venders, tap takeovers by other breweries, and so much more.
If you’re looking for somewhere to study, have fun, find a place to escape, or get the inside scoop on craft beer, Books and Brews is your place.
