Something's brewing: Scottsville gets java and books

There are plenty of reasons to love Scottsville, not least of which is its proximity to the James River and its quaint downtown that harks back to a simpler time. But the sleepy riverside town is now decidedly more alert thanks to Baine's Books & Coffee, which opened in December in the former Slice of Heaven pizza shop location on Valley Street.

“Our biggest thing is being a place of the community and a place for the community," says Baine's manager Kristin Freshwater. "Building a community around books and around coffee are all things people can come to and enjoy in a very relaxed environment.”

In addition to books, the café hosts open mic nights every Monday from 7-9 p.m. featuring local residents singing or playing an instrument, reciting poetry, or merely getting together to discuss similar interests in music and literature. Saturday nights are for the musical pros, and Baine's has an impressive line-up booked for the rest of the summer with acts like Martha Bassette,  Jason Ring, and Root 2.

The Scottsville Baine's is actually the second location opened by owner Brian Baine, who launched the originial Baine's biz in Appomattox. Credit Freshwater and Baine's close friend and former employee, Scout Strauser, for convincing Baine to bring beans and books to Scottsville after the two women spent several months in the tiny southern Albemarle County town.

“It kind of seemed like the perfect place for a book shop-coffee shop combo," says Freshwater. "There was no real place to get a coffee except for the gas station.”

Baine’s Books & Coffee purchases their coffee beans from a local provider, Lexington Coffee Roasters, and features a full-service espresso bar and Chai that's blended in house. And those who eschew dairy will likely go nuts for the almond and walnut milks, also made in house.