After over a decade on the block, in late 2024 a 7-Eleven on the corner of Avenue A and 11st Street closed for good, another victim of the post-pandemic economic pressure. Now, it’s become something the neighborhood never anticipated: The Rabbit Books and Bar.
Entrepreneurial mother-daughter duo Marianna Vaidman Stone and Emily Stone, who had been cooking up a business idea for the past two years, took over the space. The idea, they said, was to create the storefront of their dreams, which includes lots of books and drinks. Finally, late this past August, Marianna and Emily opened the doors to The Rabbit Books and Bar.
Inside the Bookshop Café and Wine Bar
Imagine what kind of wine bar actress Meg Ryan’s character might open if You’ve Got Mail were set downtown in the present day. The somewhat retro, tactile, and extremely charming third space build-out was a deliberate choice, Marianna, a former lawyer, told DiningOut. And so far it’s been a success.
“It’s a big open space, but it feels cozy,” said Marianna. “It’s been really wonderful to see people feel that and enjoy it.”
The Rabbit’s opening weekend was packed with browsers, neighborhood locals, and book nerds from all over the city, checking out the book selections, including a small children’s book area, lounging on the comfy sofas, and sipping rosé. As the rest of the neighborhood and the city discovered the shop, which the owners describe as a place “where literature meets libation,” things haven’t slowed down a bit, even when it becomes laptop-free after 5 p.m. and all weekend-long.
“We have regulars at this point,” said Emily, who parlayed her recent college education, bartending experience, and time living abroad in Barcelona into managing the café and wine bar. “People are constantly surprised to hear that we only opened [in August].”
The Inspiration Behind The Rabbit Books and Bar
Growing up, Marianna dreamed of owning a bookstore but, as she explained, she ended up becoming a lawyer. As her career took off, the dream faded. Decades later, she stepped back from her fulfilling-yet-busy career in policy and government and thought about what could be next.
That timing coincided with Emily graduating from college. So, the mother-daughter team put their heads together to form a business plan that centered around creating a space where people can make connections, beyond just grabbing a book or a bite.
“The idea of opening a bookstore is having a cultural moment and independent bookstores are on the rise nationwide,” Marianna said. “We’re proud to be part of that trend—in this neighborhood in particular. To land here in a neighborhood that’s so interested in both the books and interested in the third space we’re creating. There’s a hunger for analog connection.”
Building the Dream
Getting the shop off the ground started with finding the perfect location. The two scoured the east side of Manhattan, from Houston to 23rd Streets, and looked at many places. However it wasn’t until they found the spot at the corner at 11th Street and Avenue A that something clicked. Tucked among the small businesses and residential tenement buildings, Marianna and Emily could see The Rabbit fitting in.
Now built and thriving, Marianna and Emily consider The Rabbit as three operations: book retail, a café, and a wine bar. At the café, soft drinks range from mocktails and a selection of teas to coffees and hot cocoa. Alcoholic beverages include a selection of beer and cider, and wines by the glass (with rosé on tap). There’s also an emphasis on vermouth, noted after the family fell in love with the Spanish tradition of ending the night with sips of the fortified wine. Right now there’s five options, and you can try four at once by ordering a flight.
There’s also food, including a charcuterie board and playful snacks like Lunchables, Uncrustables, and Gushers for the younger crowd and those who still eat like a kid. Emily headed up the search for wine, with Mom’s final approval, naturally. Overall, she said she wanted to find a price range for wine that was approachable and filled with excellent options. All to fuel connections of course.
“People at the bar are constantly making friends and talking to each other,” Emily said. “When the laptops close at 5 o’clock, people read or talk to each other! It’s a nod to the past—a jump—and it feels like a real third space.”
Settling Into the East Village
With the cohort of regulars lounging on the couches, The Rabbit does feel like a third space that’s been there for years, like a Friends’ Central Perk for the post-modern age. And people aren’t just hanging out: they’re buying drinks and food and books.
At a time when analog hard copies seem to be losing out to tablets, books are flying off the shelves at The Rabbit Books and Bar where everything from popular fiction and international thrillers to works in translation are for sale. The mother-daughter duo says the feedback so far has been instantaneously wonderful, and they’re using it to keep their shelves stocked and entice repeat customers.
“The books are selling great and people are enjoying the [book] curation so far,” Marianna said, adding the grand opening almost wiped out their inventory. “We’re learning about what the neighborhood likes and what they want to read, which has been really gratifying. We don’t feel like we’re doing something new, we’re doing something existing and putting our own spin on it. And it’s worked out better than we expected in so many ways.”
Visit The Rabbit Books and Bar Sunday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to midnight. 170 Avenue A, East Village, therabbitbooksandbar.com
