04 Oct Where to Host a Book Club in Bedford and Halifax That Is Not Someone’s Living Room

Where to Host a Book Club in Bedford: A Bar That Gets It

The best place to hold a book club is somewhere nobody has to clean, everybody can park, and the person who did not finish the book can still enjoy the evening. That rules out most living rooms and most restaurants.

We are a craft beer, wine, cocktail and whisky bar in West Bedford, Nova Scotia, and we host book clubs, writing groups, and other small regular gatherings most weeknights. This is why it works.

A reserved table, no fee

Tell us the night, the time and how many chairs, and we hold a table for your group. No rental fee, no minimum spend, nothing to sign. Groups under 30 do not even need a card on file. Show up, sit down, talk about the book.

If your club runs on a schedule, we can hold the same table on the same night every month.

Weeknights are quiet here

Monday is trivia night and it gets loud in the best way. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday early evenings are calm. The room has corners: leather sofas by the fireplace, booths along the wall, tables that seat eight comfortably. A club of six to twelve can hear each other without shouting, which is the one thing a bar has to get right for this to work.

Wednesday is also Wine Wednesday, with $5 off glasses and $10 off bottles from 3pm to 11pm. A fair number of book clubs have settled on Wednesday for reasons that are not entirely literary.

A drink for every member

Book clubs are mixed company. One person wants a good glass of red, one wants a craft beer, one is driving, and one has quietly stopped drinking. A venue that only serves two of those four people is not a venue for a book club.

• Wine from a professionally curated list, served only from the bottle, including a strong selection of Nova Scotia wines.
• 36 rotating taps of craft beer.
• Cocktails made with house-pressed juices, priced under $15.
• Non-alcoholic options that are genuinely good, one of the largest selections in Atlantic Canada. Zero-proof cocktails, NA beer, NA wine. Nobody gets handed a soda water and told to make do.

Food without the dishes

We do not run a kitchen, which for a book club is ideal. Nobody hosts, so nobody cooks.

• Order in through our QR system from more than twenty nearby restaurants. Everyone orders what they want, when they want it.
• Bring something. A charcuterie board, a box of pastries, the snacks your club always has. We handle the cleanup.

Free parking and an easy drive

We are in West Bedford, off the Bedford Highway, with free parking right outside. Members from Bedford, Sackville, Hammonds Plains, Clayton Park and Halifax all get here without a downtown parking plan, and everyone leaves at a sensible hour.

Starting a club, or joining one

If you do not have a club yet, Halifax Public Libraries lends book club kits with multiple copies of one title and discussion questions, and the Bedford Public Library is a short drive from us. Borrow the kit, meet here to discuss it.

If the idea of assigned reading makes you tired, Silent Book Club is a format where everyone brings their own book, reads quietly for an hour with a drink, then chats. Halifax has active chapters, and we would be glad to host one in West Bedford. Ask us.

Other small groups this works for

The same reserved-table setup covers writing groups, knitting circles, board game nights, running clubs after the run, alumni groups, and the group of old friends who meet on the first Thursday for no reason anyone remembers. Tell us what your group is and we will find the right corner.

Also on the journal: Restaurant or bar for a group event? What changes when you book a taphouse · Venue fell through? Last-minute event space in Bedford and Halifax

Frequently asked questions

Do we need to book a book club table? For a group of six or more on a weeknight, yes, please. A quick call or email holds the table. For fewer, just come in.

Is there a minimum spend or rental fee? No. A reserved table costs nothing.

Which night is quietest? Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday early evenings. Monday is trivia night and gets lively.

Can we bring food? Yes. Bring it or order in from more than twenty nearby restaurants.

Do you have non-alcoholic options? One of the largest selections in Atlantic Canada, including zero-proof cocktails.

Is it 19+? Yes. Adults only, all evening.

Hold a table

Call 902-404-6778 or email thevillagetaphouse@gmail.com with the night, the time and your headcount.

The Village Taphouse 11 Bloom Lane, Unit 107, West Bedford, Nova Scotia 902-404-6778 19+ only