Photo by Biltmore Estate, courtesy Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Photo by Trip Huxley

Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar, Asheville, NC

Books plus Bubbly Equal Big-City Sophistication in Asheville

by Joanne O'Sullivan | August 23, 2010

Asheville is often called “the Paris of the South,” because of its sidewalk cafes, vibrant street life and artistic atmosphere. But the Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar in Asheville feels a lot more like a tucked-away gem you’d find in New York’s Greenwich Village. Although it opened only in 2009, it’s got the genteel air of a place that’s been there for decades, accumulating an eclectic collection of vintage and second-hand books and a cozy assortment of mismatched leather club chairs and marble-topped antique tables. There’s jazz or big band playing gently in the background, and interesting little sketches and prints on the walls: you can imagine characters from an old Woody Allen movie spending a weekend afternoon here, poring over a vintage book of poetry or quietly discussing a matter of great import.

And of course, the pièce de résistance: the champagne bar. You can order wine, sparkling wine or champagne by the glass or bottle, add a cheeseboard or dessert, and sit inside or out on the terrace overlooking the Grove Arcade. The Exchange also serves local beer and nonalcoholic beverages, and has a wine retail area where you can pick up a bottle to take home. The staff is pleasant and helpful, but unobtrusive, and pets are always welcome. Just slightly off the beaten path, the Battery Park Book Exchange invites you to sit, sip, linger, and enjoy a good book.

Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar is located at 1 Battle Square, Asheville, (828) 252-0020. Open Noon to 11, Tuesday through Sunday, Monday 2-11pm.