Story & Photos by Marianne Salza
Melissa Fetter, Owner of Beacon Hill Books & Café, reinvented the delight of shopping at a book store when she opened at 71 Charles Street in the fall of 2022. She began the extensive endeavor after settling in Boston with her husband in 2019, at 60-years-old, with no background in marketing, retail, or book-selling. Now tenacious Fetter is approaching the second anniversary of her business, having sold over 200,000 books.
“There is always another chapter,” encouraged Fetter, advocating that there is no age limit on perusing an opportunity. “Our life experience makes us better qualified. If I attempted this book store 30 years ago, it would not be what it is today.”
Fetter described her journey from navigating the renovations of the 19th century townhouse, starting in the fall of 2020, to opening the Beacon Hill Books & Café under the restrictions of the pandemic during her September 10 Beacon Hill Women’s Forum (BHWF) presentation at the Hampshire House.
“What I’ve learned through the process is persevere. Keep moving forward. The solution will present itself,” affirmed Fetter about not being intimidated. “The project seemed to have a life of its own; and I was just trying to keep up with it. Solutions came, but I had to be patient.”
Originally, the building had been a home with a clothing maker’s workshop in the late 1800s. When Fetter began transforming the space, it included several apartments and an existing restaurant. Now, Beacon Hill Books & Café has been contemporized with an elevator and light and airy colors while still providing a residential ambiance.
“The project was a fine balance of modernizing while maintaining the integrity and beauty of the building,” explained Fetter, who felt that the obstacles of acquiring permits, and adhering to health department and fire codes while renovating was advantageous because it offered her time to creatively brainstorm.
Beacon Hill Books & Café features a book store on floors 2-5: the store’s entryway from the sidewalk and non-fiction books on the second floor, fiction on the third floor, and the children’s collection – with a special entrance for small visitors, and a model train that travels along the ceiling throughout the rooms – on the fourth floor.
A bricked tunnel leads to a courtyard and restaurant situated on the ground level. The intimate café hosts 1200 customers a week, serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, and wine and craft beer in the evening. On Sunday afternoons, formal English tea is served.
“What I really love about our café is its size and our ability to pay attention to detail,” said Fetter. “We make sure everybody has a unique experience while shopping and dining.”
Having served as Vice President of JP Morgan, Fetter transferred her professional skills to Beacon Hill Books & Café, constantly considering innovative ways to keep the store and its events fresh and welcoming for guests of all ages.
“Our success is entirely dependent on our incredible team,” acknowledged Fetter. “When we opened, the inventory turned three times in the first couple of months, which is unheard of.”
Fetter and her team had underestimated the power of social media. Beacon Hill Books & Café quickly became popular, with customers photographing and recording videos of the store, and posting them on TikTok and Instagram.
“There was a TikTok video that had over one million views in October of our first year,” recalled Fetter. “That tsunami is still working in our favor because our numbers continue to rise steadily. We’re now over 82,000 followers. It’s all been organic.”
Visitors are charmed by the sconce-adorned, arched bookshelves, fresh flowers decorating tables, cozy fireplaces, and friendly staff.
“About a year ago, we overheard a customer say to her friend, ‘It feels like a big, warm hug,’” Fetter remembered. “That is part of what we are trying to engender: the feeling of joyfulness and that we care about everyone. That’s fundamental.”
Visit Beacon Hill Books & Café, located at 71 Charles Street. Bookstore hours are Tuesday – Saturday 9am-9pm, and Sunday and Monday 11am-5pm. The café is open Tuesday – Saturday, with breakfast served from 9-11am, lunch 11am-4pm, and supper from 5-9pm. Afternoon tea can be enjoyed Sundays 11am-5pm. Visit www.BHBooks.com to view online offerings and learn about upcoming special events and private dinner party rental options.