Julia’s Café & Books

Description: Airy cafe/used bookshop benefiting Habitat for Humanity offers free WiFi & seating in a loft.

Comments: It’s really nice to see a place that isn’t just industrial chic, super modern all-white "doctor’s office", or another cliché coffee shop aesthetic. Instead, it feels both clean and inviting, but also lived in. The upstairs loft is honestly one of my favorite places in Charlotte to read a book. There isn’t a ton of seating, but if you snag a spot, you can nestle in for hours, put your cares aside, and just enjoy some literature. Every so often, you can glance up at the huge art piece on the wall for something to look at.

Downstairs is the bookstore itself. It’s not huge and the selection isn’t on a Barnes & Noble level, but it feels authentic. The books really come from the community. Kids donate their grandma’s collections, students finishing school pay it forward, people leave their favorite titles because they have extra copies, and so on. The collection here feels more heartfelt than at other bookstores in the city.

They have coffee, tea, snacks, grab and go food, a few pastries and cookies, and most importantly, good vibes. There is usually a great early 2000s easy listening playlist. Think The Script, Kodaline, John Mayer, The Fray, Kelly Clarkson, Plain White T’s, Snow Patrol, Five for Fighting. All good stuff.

As a bonus, the shop connects internally to a Habitat for Humanity store, so you can do a little shopping after reading. Check their website for more details about the Habitat for Humanity connection.