April 11, 2019

Books n Brewz Pizzeria is putting the final touches on the combination bookstore, bar and restaurant, and plans to open April 17.

Owner Angela Kull and her boyfriend, Travis Graham, have been working long days to transform the former Fernson on 8th and Breadico spaces at Eighth Street and Weber Avenue. Bookshelves have been filed and placed throughout the rooms, Kull burned wood to create the trim for one of dining corners, and together they created a cozy book nook upstairs that’s filled with vintage couches and chairs.

The couple are junk hunters, Kull said, so they enjoyed finding “little pieces of old Sioux Falls” to help decorate. There’s a telegram that was sent to someone staying at the Carpenter Hotel bearing news that gold had been discovered in the Black Hills, and there’s an old Northern States Power meter that has been incorporated into a lamp.

“We want to make it like home, where you’re comfortable and don’t want to leave,” Kull said. Customers will be able to find a good book to read, eat a meal or enjoy a glass of beer or wine.

While the Breadico and Fernson spaces were distinctly different, Kull has tried to tie them together, keeping some of the unique design elements of the former businesses and bringing in her own style.

“I tried to work with what the building had,” said Kull, who treasures its history along the railroad tracks as Stockman’s Exchange Bank and later Stockman’s Bar.

Used children’s and young adult books are on the restaurant side along with a few novels for adults. Kull envisions children coloring or playing games at the tables, and book groups using the nook, which holds 10 with room to pull in a few more chairs.

On the bar side, the fiction books are sorted by the author’s last name.

“For nonfiction, you’ll just have to search,” she said. “You might learn something you didn’t know.”

In addition to her large collection of books, people have been donating titles too.

Eventually, three bookshelves created out of old wine barrels will be used to display new books by local authors.

For the “Pizzeria” part of the business, Kull thought she was going to have to bring in a pizza oven until she perfected her skills using Breadico’s oven, but she’s confident she’ll be ready by the time the business opens.

“I’m going to start cooking for the family this weekend and get it figured out,” she said. They’ll also finalize the menu, which likely will also include salads, soups and sandwiches. There’s seating for 90 across both areas.

For the “Brewz” side, Graham will serve as the main bartender, and he has control of the music – “an eclectic mix … modern bluegrass … nothing new” – and the bar’s only TV. If customers want to watch sports, they’ll need to go somewhere else. It’s going to be playing “The Happy Painter” with Bob Ross nonstop.

Books n Brewz Pizzeria will have live music – Steve McFarland will be the first performer April 19 – and there will be open mic and karaoke nights, and possibly trivia contests and poetry readings.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

The business will be closed Sunday and Monday, and Kull will continue to work nursing shifts at the VA Medical Center on those days.

They’ve been working long days to get ready, and she’s looking forward to “12- to 14-hour days instead of 18.”

“It’s been exciting and nerve-racking. I’m ready to get it going.”