Jujube launches snack bar

Come Monday, April 15, Jujube Bookstore will launch its new snack bar.{{more}}

The snack bar will feature packaged foods, baked goods and beverages from a variety of vendors.

Heading the list of menu items will be patties, Italian pizza and doughnuts, as well as local juices from Bickles. With the recent closure of the Bickles downtown branch resulting from consolidation of that company’s operations, the launch is aimed at providing convenience to the clientele, particularly students of the several schools in the area, who will be affected by the move. Jujube will also expand the range of confectionery and snack food items that it offers.

“Actually, the original concept was to have a café within the bookstore to create a welcoming and homey atmosphere, and to provide a meeting and discussion place for book enthusiasts,” Michele Samuel, co-owner of Jujube explained.

“As a matter of fact, that’s where the name Jujube came from. It was the name we had in mind for the juice bar we were considering at one time,” revealed Samuel who owns and runs the bookstore, along with her husband Telbert.

“We had another name for the bookstore, but eventually decided to go with one name for the entire business.”

Samuel explained that since its inception in September 2010, Jujube has been working at encouraging communities of readers, who will meet from time to time, by trying to create an atmosphere conducive to this, and also through various programmes and events. Owing to space limitations, the snack bar will offer only a take-out service from its current location. However, Samuel feels that in addition to meeting a demand for the fare that will be offered, the new snack bar will add to the character of the store and go a long way towards promoting the friendly ethos for which Jujube is known.

Last year, Jujube launched an outdoor reading area located at the back of the store dubbed “Off the Shelf”. Patrons of the snack bar will be welcome to use this area to grab a bite and enjoy a book or a chat at the same time.