This Month’s Featured Article

As we transition into autumn, most of us return to some type of routine. For many, the fall season marks an official slowdown. The frenetic pace of squeezing so many activities such as swimming, hiking, and kayaking into long summer days, quickly comes to a halt. School returns, the number of invites to weekend barbecues start to dwindle, and we start looking forward to spending the new season in markedly different ways than the previous one. 

Once fall arrives, cool weather and shorter days sweep in. When the weekend rolls around, many literary buffs dream of having a bit of extra time so they can retreat to a cozy destination with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and a great read in the other. 

Kingston’s Rough Draft Bar & Books, which debuted in November 2017, is the perfect spot for this type of autumn escape. It’s a place to unwind with a book while enjoying a drink and engaging in some socializing for those who are feeling that vibe. If quiet reading in a corner suits your style, there’s certainly opportunity there for that. 

Writing the script

Amanda and Anthony Stromoski are the power couple and conceptualizers of this area haunt, which offers just a few of their favorite things: good coffee, beer, and books in one convenient, cozy locale.

The duo has a long history together. The lovebirds, who met in high school in New Jersey, later married and relocated to Brooklyn after graduating from college. At the time, Amanda worked as a health writer and Anthony was employed as a public high-school teacher and administrator. Several years ago, they made the move to the Hudson Valley. 

For about a decade before, the Stromoskis day tripped through the Hudson Valley, often stopping in Kingston before hiking or spending the night camping. Eventually those day trips and occasional overnighters in the woods escalated into full country weekend escapes from Brooklyn. The area’s restaurants, cool bars, and cafes also lured them in.

A new career stint was on the horizon. A “lively” used bookstore in North Carolina served as Anthony’s inspiration for Rough Draft Bar & Books. That shop, called Skylight, opened his eyes to the idea that bookstores can be re-envisioned as spaces that were bright, open, social, and inviting rather than quiet and stuffy. 

Anthony and Amanda spent nearly two decades researching bookstores, coffee, craft beer, and “combo businesses” before deciding upon their bookstore bar concept.

The edit

“Our dream vision for Rough Draft was a space where people could feel at home enjoying a coffee, having a beer with friends or by themselves, perhaps with a book or browsing the shelves and finding their next great read,” said Amanda. 

The Stromoskis wanted the space to feel comfortable rather than “too quiet or too precious.” They hoped that their guests would make themselves at home and become “regulars” and friends. In time, that certainly happened. 

All the books that line the shelves and are nestled on tables at Rough Draft are for sale. Amanda explained that Rough Draft isn’t a library, and the books are not simply there for staging or decoration purposes. Guests are welcome to browse their book selection while they are in the store. 

The setting

The duo was fortunate to discover a charming space with exposed brick walls and lots of wood. It was housed in a Revolutionary era building that once served as a schoolhouse. The space certainly created that open, welcoming environment that the Stromoskis yearned for. It also had ample room for lots of book displays and plenty of seating for guests. 

“Thanks largely in part to the folks who come through our doors every day, the shop has become pretty close to our original vision,” said Amanda. 

Amanda and Anthony decided early on that having a casual, comfy space where guests would feel welcome to flip through the pages of a book while sipping a beverage or reading a story to their children on the couch in the kids’ section was much more important than instituting strict rules or separation of the bar and books. 

Although guests are welcome to browse the selection while in the café and shop, the Rough Draft team gently reminds guests that all books are new and for sale. “We do our very best to keep the assortment in the same condition that they were in when they were received from the publishers,” said Amanda. 

Of course, books are occasionally damaged by beer or coffee, which is a risk that Amanda and Anthony knew they had to assume when they began conceptualizing their innovative bar and books combination business model. “We hoped the trade-off would work in our favor. Overall, it has, but that doesn’t mean we don’t hope that people will be respectful and careful with any merchandise they haven’t yet purchased for themselves,” said Amanda.

Time to unwind

Rough Draft’s current list of must-read books by local authors includes The Editor by Sara Franklin; The Audacityby Ryan Chapman; I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition by Lucy Sante; On a Mushroom Day by Chris Baker; The Eighth Moon by Jennifer Kabat; The Sicilian Inheritance: A Novel by Jo Piazza, and Out There: A Camper Cookbook: Recipes from the Wild by Lee Kalpakis. 

While reading, guests can indulge in drip coffee and espresso; sip a cup of tea; or enjoy a glass of beer, wine, cider, or non-alcoholic options. The bar is equipped with 12 taps. Beer from local breweries include Drowned Lands in Warwick, NY; Hudson Valley Brewery in Beacon, NY; and Sloop Brewing Co. in East Fishkill, NY. 

The café also offers special “Drink of the Month” options, which usually include one or two coffee drinks and a tea latte. Every autumn, it offers a “Squashington Irving” – Rough Draft’s version of a pumpkin spice latte. The recipe includes real pumpkin.

Amanda and Anthony enjoy highlighting these local brands as well as other beverages that are crafted beyond state lines. Some beers hail from the Hudson Valley and others are made in New York, Maine, and beyond. 

Rough Draft’s food menu consists of pastries and pies from Rough Draft’s sister shop, Kingston Bread + Bar, which is located around the corner from Rough Draft on North Front Street. Rough Draft’s in-house selection of eats and drinks is also supplemented by offerings from Kingston Candy Bar and Meredith’s Bread, both in Kingston.

But wait, there’s more!

Those who are seeking a bit of community engagement are encouraged to attend one of Rough Draft’s events, which include trivia, live music, author readings, and community conversations. Be sure to browse the bar and bookstore’s website and social media accounts for more information on events, dates, and times. At press time, the team did not have specific information on autumn activities. 

One of the events that is always on the calendar is the annual O+ Festival Kingston – a weekend in October filled with music and art. It raises money to provide health care services for artists. It will return to the streets of Kingston October 11-13, 2024 with a three-day schedule featuring over 55 live music performances. 

Community support

“We consider ourselves lucky that we established ourselves in Kingston pre-pandemic, with both a community of extremely supportive customers and regulars but also an amazing team of booksellers, baristas, bartenders, and cashiers who make this place what it is every day,” said Amanda. 

The bar and book shop’s regulars and staff members helped the Stromoskis survive through those early, uncertain, and darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Kingston’s popularity exploded over the last few years, those patrons have helped Rough Draft grow, adjust, and return stronger than ever. 

“We have customers who come in for coffee every day, who email us book requests even though they could get what they need cheaper online, and who never fail to show up for events that support local authors and community groups. We also have regulars who have become friends, and staff members who have become family, and we wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Amanda. 

Rough Draft offers WiFi for paying customers, but requests that guests kindly respect the bar and book shop’s policies surrounding Zoom and streaming content – neither are permitted. Phone calls are limited to outdoor areas only. Laptops are not permitted at the bar during certain times. Finally, outside food and drink is also not permitted. 

The Stromoskis encourage those who are scouting used books to explore their neighbor, Half Moon Books. For audiobooks, visit Rough Draft’s online audiobook store powered by Libro.fm.  

Rough Draft also has an online store via Bookshop.org – an indie-friendly alternative to Amazon.com. Online shoppers can order books for home delivery.

Rough Draft Bar & Books is located at 82 John Street in Kingston, NY. You can call them at (845) 802-0027 or visit them online roughdraftny.com.