Carla Cary wasn’t planning to open a coffee shop when she purchased Spare Time Books in downtown Paso Robles in April 2023. She just wanted to create a little corner of the world where readers could escape into their favorite stories.
After renovating the bookstore, complete with celestial decorations and an atmosphere inspired by fantasy novels, she began wondering what else she could bring to the space.
When the alterations shop next door closed last year, the possibilities seemed endless. More books? Flowers? Something entirely different?
“I just kept coming back to coffee because what goes better with books than coffee?” Cary told New Times. “It’s just the classic pairing.”
That idea eventually became Narrative Book Café, a whimsical extension of Spare Time Books, which will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 17 and 18.
Connected to the bookstore through an interior doorway, Narrative combines the atmosphere of a European coffeehouse with the charm of a fantasy-world tavern.
“I just kind of wanted people to walk in and feel like they’re being transported into a little fairy-tale storybook almost,” Cary said. “See themselves in their favorite novels or just feel like they’re kind of stepping out of the ordinary into something maybe a little bit more extraordinary.”
For Cary, a lifelong reader, the inspiration came from the books that helped shape her imagination.
She gravitates toward cozy fantasy, surrealist literature, and fantasy romance, including Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series, which helped rekindle her love of reading and eventually inspired her bookstore venture.
That affection for fictional worlds carries into Narrative’s design, where rich colors, hanging stars, and plants create a whimsical atmosphere.
“I kept thinking, how can I make this look like a fantasy tavern?” she said.
Unlike the minimalist aesthetic of many contemporary coffee shops, Narrative embraces a more elaborate approach.
“It’s like one part European café, one part … Old World, kind of classical coffeehouse, and one part just mystical and kind of different,” Carla said.
While the surroundings lean toward fantasy, the menu sticks to the classics.
Narrative Book Café will serve espresso drinks, cappuccinos, Americanos, mochas, lattes, matcha, and tea, with an emphasis on traditional coffee preparation rather than elaborate sugary drinks.
The café sources its beans from local roaster Slake Coffee, while Counterpoint Coffee has helped Cary develop her barista skills and refine the menu.
“We want to focus on making really excellent coffee and letting that speak for itself,” she said.
The menu will eventually expand to include literary-inspired mocktails, offering customers a nonalcoholic alternative to Paso Robles’ wine-centered nightlife.
Cary also hopes to make Narrative a convenient stop for downtown regulars through a coffee token program.
Customers will be able to purchase packs of 10 tokens at a discounted rate, saving 50 cents per cup of drip coffee. Token holders can bypass the regular line, ring a bell, and exchange their token for a freshly brewed cup.
Beyond coffee, Narrative will offer a selection of classic books, locally curated artisan goods, mugs, and whimsical home décor.
The adjoining bookstore and café will also provide more opportunities for author events, craft nights, live music, and private gatherings.
For Cary, opening Narrative is another way to celebrate the small-town character that makes Paso Robles feel like something out of a novel.
“Living in Paso just feels like a dream sometimes,” she said. “Being a bookshop-café owner and just strolling around and knowing all the locals is like the best.”
Narrative Book Café will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 17 and 18 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Regular hours will be 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week at 945 12th St., suite D.
Fast facts
• The Pismo Beach Clam Festival returns Oct. 17 and 18 for its 80th anniversary. The free festival takes place at the Pismo Beach Pier and Pier Plaza, featuring live music, food and craft vendors, a kids zone, and the annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off. Festivities kick off Saturday with a parade down Price Street at 10 a.m. Visitors can also learn about the recovery of Pismo clams through conservation activities and a clam-reburying class Sunday at 11 a.m. Visit experiencepismobeach.com/clam-festival for more information.
Reach Staff Writer Chloë Hodge at chodge@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Oct 15-22, 2026.
