If you’ve ever dreamed of a cozy little bookstore where cookbooks and culinary adventures collide, then you need to know about Read It & Eat in Buffalo, NY. I recently chatted with the woman behind it all, Kim Behzadi.

What Is a Culinary Bookstore?

Kim calls it a “culinary adventure,” and that’s the perfect description. Read It & Eat is stocked with all things food: cookbooks, culinary mysteries, baking kits, spices, and adorable food-themed accessories (hello, wine bottle bookmarks!). 

But what really sets it apart are the events. Think cooking classes with local chefs where you bake, eat, and go home with the cookbook.

From Subscription Box to Brick & Mortar

Kim didn’t start with a storefront. Back in the pandemic days, when we were all stress-baking bread, she launched Read It & Eat as a subscription box. Each box paired a book with a food item and donated $5 to fight hunger in Buffalo. 

Eventually, the idea grew into a physical shop—first in a tiny 200 sq. ft. space and now in a larger (but still cozy) 400 sq. ft. location.

Selling Books and Curating Foodie Experiences

Books are still a big part of the business, and Kim makes a solid chunk of her revenue from cookbook sales (which average around $35 each). But she’s leaned heavily into events with cooking classes, author signings, and other curated happenings make up about 30% of her income.

A Bookstore with a Side Hustle (And a Full-Time Job!)

Kim still works a full-time job in the food industry. She says, “My full-time job pays the mortgage; my bookstore feeds my soul.” 

She’s only in the shop once or twice a week, relying on a small team to help run the show. Delegation is her secret sauce, and she’s currently taking bookseller classes to level up her business game even more.

Within the first year, Kim made a tough call to move locations due to low foot traffic. It meant packing everything into her basement for a month and starting fresh. But her gut told her Buffalo was ready for her vision. 

With help from a Kickstarter and a whole lot of community love, she reopened in a better spot and hasn’t looked back.

Bookstore Tips from Kim

Thinking about opening your own bookstore? Kim’s got advice:

• Don’t open it on a credit card.
• Do your research.
• Use the many bookseller communities and resources out there.
• And remember: passion is great, but planning is what keeps the lights on.

Food, Fiction, and… Smut?

Kim doesn’t just stock cookbooks. She’s all about food-themed fiction, too. From cozy culinary mysteries to spicy food romances, she’s got something for every foodie reader. 

Bonus points if it comes with a cheeky bookmark shaped like hot sauce or a drumstick.

Wanna Visit?

You can shop Read It & Eat online at readitandeatshop.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook at @readitandeatbuf. Whether you’re a cookbook collector or just really into foodie love stories, Kim’s store is the place to be.