Hi y’all!
So many of you dear humans already know and love The Lit Room and all it has to contribute to our community; and we're inviting you to join the mission of further igniting important conversations in our new, expanded building! The local excitement is palpable and we are humbled by all of the support. Cheers to the dreamers, the believers, and the readers who will make this shared venture a living, breathing reality!
Oldspeak: The Lit Room & Alliteration Ales
The Lit Room and Alliteration Ales believe in the power of conversation to drive positive change. In an era with a proven loneliness epidemic, individuals and groups alike are yearning for spaces that foster in-person relationships rooted in shared values and contribution. While the world has gone digital, there remains a pressing need and desire to reconnect on a deeper, more human level. Our collaboration, Oldspeak, aims to do just that.
We’re partnering with Alliteration Ales to open Idaho’s first book beer bar, serving up libations and literature! Our goal is to create a more versatile space that can accommodate a wide range of events, such as live music and shows, large author events and signings, art and educational talks, nonprofit events, yoga classes, tea tastings, and more. Our new location will include Alliteration’s craft beer, other great craft beer, wine, kombucha, tea, and NA beverages.
Oldspeak is the place for conversations and curiosity, and YES - we plan to be open LATE for all you creatives needing some place to get work done!
A Bit of Backstory ...
Chelsea (left) and Shelley (right) next to their creative book vending machine
In the heart of Idaho, a shared dream unfolded when Alliteration Ales and The Lit Room discovered a common goal to create a community space that transcends the ordinary. Meet Chelsea Major of The Lit Room, and Shelley Searle and Adam Fleck of Alliteration Ales.
When Shelley and Chelsea serendipitously met at a local brewery, Shelley clearly saw the writing on the walls. They became sounding boards for each other's entrepreneurial pursuits, recognizing a shared passion for creativity and community work. Last summer they launched their first collaboration: a custom book vending machine located at another craft brewery, Loose Screw. It made national headlines (!!). After this positive response from the community, they were both inspired and challenged to do more.
A Tale of Two Businesses
The current Lit Room is cozy AND too tiny! Fun
fact: The moody red walls of the current book lounge were designed
by Chelsea's friend + now business partner, Shelley!
The Lit Room started as a mobile bookstore, popping up at local markets, businesses, and (you guessed it) breweries! – please advise: hauling boxes of books across town is not for the faint of heart. The Lit Room has created a banned book club, a night market, and opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Garden City, Idaho last fall. Offering a 100% curated selection of local and global literature (both new and used), it provides a much-needed resource and third place to the community.
Behind the scenes: Adam, observed in his natural habitat,
brewing a batch of Borealis Baltic Porter.
On the flipside, meet Adam Fleck. Adam is the founding brewer of Alliteration Ales. His journey started in his undergrad days as a homebrewing hobbyist and later started his first company as a craft brewing quality controller. Working with craft breweries, Adam aimed to develop and maintain quality benchmarks, providing brewers with greater control over their brewing process. This resulted in more consistent, high-quality brews with reduced wastage.
Shelley and Adam took the leap to commercial brewing by purchasing the original Bear Island Brewing production facility. With Shelley's diverse background in city government, non-profits, event planning, and community engagement, this dynamic duo eagerly seized the opportunity to share their brewing expertise with a wider audience, injecting Alliteration Ales with an essence of innovation and a steadfast commitment to crafting libations that surpass expectations.
Where you come in!
A Room of One's Own: our building for the book
bar - new to us, but full of history & characters
We need our community to help us cross the finish line ...
Taking on a building purchase and its required renovations are all very exciting... and expensive ! We are able to cover most of our project needs via the funds we've personally brought to the table and an SBA loan. AND - To help us get the doors open and offer you, our patrons, the experience we envision, we need a little support.
Your contributions will help us in two primary arenas:
1) A vast expansion of book selection. Have you seen Beauty and the Beast? Picture floor to ceiling bookshelves (with a ladder!) full of all your favorite titles and a 3-4x expanded selection of the current Lit Room shelves. We will expand our poetry, translation, community care, and nonfiction genres while continuing to carry your favorites and all their iterations.
2) People. With an expanded space and longer hours comes the need for more wonderful humans to serve you. Our crew will be trained on new software, operations, and how to better serve you; along with hiring the additional staff we need to make our opening as seamless as possible.
However you choose to contribute, THANK YOU. Getting to this point has been a Herculean effort and leaning on our community for some support is the warm hug we need.
We can't wait to welcome you in our new space. Stay tuned for campaign updates, opening dates, and more!
Rewards!
Our rewards are listed on the Perks tab (or on the right side of your page on desktop). But for your scrolling ease, here is a quick overview. Please see the individual rewards section for full details!
For folks who like all of the above ...
- Oldspeak Members Club - $250
- Limited Edition Oldspeak Tote Bag - $40
- Craft a phrase for our giant letter board - $150
For the beer connoisseurs & enthusiasts:
- Limited Edition 12oz Etched Logo Beer Glass - $50
- Private Beer Tasting Event - $125
- Be a brewer! Work with Adam to craft a new beer! - $500
For the bibliophiles (you know who you are!):
- Buy a Book for a Chance at VIP Access! - $25-35
- Idaho banned book bundle - $100
- Be a bookseller! Create our front table display! - $200
- Catered dinner with Authors - $500 (set of two tickets)
- Private IdaHistory group tour (you + 7 friends) - $700
For the serious folks who want to make this dream a reality FAST (plus, get your own collection of books for your home):
- Let us build you your Dream Home Library $19,500
Delivery of Rewards
After the campaign closes a survey will be sent to you to confirm your delivery address and to obtain any custom information. We expect all rewards to be delivered within 3-4 months of the close of the campaign, but will do our best to deliver to you as soon as possible. We’re just as excited to get them to you! Book rewards ordered by November 30th should be available for in-person pickup at the current Lit Room (or shipped) prior to 12/21.
Digital rewards can be delivered worldwide. We can only deliver physical rewards to addresses within the United States through this campaign. Rewards that are only available within a particular geographic region are noted in the reward description. If you live outside the U.S. and are interested in Oldspeak merchandise or other goods, please contact us and we’ll work with you to find a solution.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
We want you to love your first experience with Oldspeak. Your feedback will help to make our book bar even better.
If you would like to support Oldspeak in a larger way, please email Chelsea at chels@oldspeakbar.com.
Perks
Plan on being a regular? This is for you! Your annual membership rewards you with 20 oz pours (vs standard 16), member-only beers, VIP events, discount on all wine and NA options, as well as discount on new books, Oldspeak merch, and more!
Membership is good for one full year, starting when Oldspeak opens its doors early 2025. Perfect gift for the holidays - get one for you, and one for your boo!
Book lovers unite! Pick one of our favorite books and contribute to our Oldspeak campaign! Your book will come with a bookmark, and it'll be embossed with our special seal on the cover page so you'll never forget where it came from.
Our top picks:
- On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong -- our #1 BESTSELLER at The Lit Room for 2024. We're all eagerly awaiting his next novel which debuts next summer.
- 1984 by George Orwell -- a timely read, both a classic and a historically banned book!
- Milk & Honey: 10th Anniversary Edition by Rupi Kaur -- she self-published on the internet, gained notoriety, and now is one of the most well known poets of our generation. This version has her personal annotations reflecting back on the work she first published 10 years ago. Also a banned book.
- For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway -- this novel ranks at #30 on the ALA’s list of most-banned classics. Idahoans claim him as one of our own, and the Hemingway House in Ketchum, Idaho hosts an invite-only writers-in-residency program. Another fun fact: Hemingway is also known for smuggling copies of Ulysses into the United States.
- Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov -- A poignant novel by Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov and one of our absolute favorite reads from the last few years! Originally published in 2018, it was translated by Boris Dralyuk and published in English in 2020 and in 2022, winning the inaugural Gregg Barrios Book in Translation Prize from the National Book Critics Circle. A important novel about the complexities of life, war, and trying to find peace in any way you can. We deem this one a classic for future generations.
- In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child by Kim Cross -- From one of our favorite Idaho literary friends, who happens to also be a NYT bestselling author. Kim's deep empathy and meticulous research make this true crime novel a truly moving must-read.
- Educated by Tara Westover -- an important memoir from an Idaho local. About the value of education, and learning there's more than one way to experience the world.
- Sip and Sensibility: An Inspired Literary Cocktail Collection -- a delightful recipe book that beckons both bibliophile and mixologists!
- The Jetset ABC's by Kaitlin Alyssa Charles -- Last but not least, a book for the kiddos (and the adults!). This lovely kids book tells all about the exuberant Aunt K as she returns from her globetrotting adventures ready to share her captivating tales with her eager nieces, Cici and Zaza. Local Boise author Kaitlin is also a delight in real life!
This isn’t your average bag; it’s a statement. Make a meaningful impact and get a bag that says, ‘I care, but I look good doing it.’ While it can be used for groceries, always use it to tote your books to and from Oldspeak (yes, we do have a used book trade-in program!).
Unisex limited edition crewneck brown sweatshirt, locally made. Oldspeak illustration on back in Ink Abyss black -- features the sharpening of a pencil with a knife. Top of illustration says Oldspeak Book Beer Bar, and bottom of illustration says Garden City, Idaho.
Front of shirt features small 3D Oldspeak "O" icon on top right side of sweatshirt.
Raise a glass—and some funds! With your contribution, you’ll get this sleek, etched beer glass that’s all class with a dash of attitude. Perfect for your favorite brew (or whatever you’re pouring), this glass makes it clear: you're here to support a cause and sip in style.
Receive a copy of four (4) of Idaho's most challenged/banned books and dig into some insightful reading, while supporting our local bookstore. Makes a great gift for 4 friends at $25 each!
Once the campaign closes, we'll send a survey for you to select which four books you'd like most.
Beer lovers unite! This contribution gets you a 3-hour tasting event with bites to nibble on; includes 6 beer tastings with commentary and education from our Alliteration Ales head brewer, Adam! Don't forget to tell your friends.
Event will occur in spring 2025, once Oldspeak doors are open.
Calling all wordsmiths! Add your favorite phases, quotes and poetry to our (GIANT) rotating letter board and have it featured during Happy Hour! The cheekier the better.
Once Oldspeak's doors are open, we'll email you with specifications for your Happy Hour phrase. You'll get to pick the week that the phrase runs, so you can be sure to stop by with your friends and let them see how smart or sassy you are. Phrase will run on rotation for one FULL week during Happy Hour.
For the aesthetic and bookstore lovers - merchandise one of our display tables for a week with your name on it! You pick the books and how it looks.
We'll coordinate with you to schedule time to curate a book display, once Oldspeak's doors are open!
LITERARY LOVERS, this crowdfunding reward is for you! Enjoy a set of two tickets for the February Readings & Conversations event hosted by The Cabin, our local literary nonprofit! You'll also receive a book from each author.
If you're less familiar, A Readings & Conversations lecture is an original talk by the author on the subject of their choice. It can be about their current book, upcoming projects, past works, relevant cultural issues, and more. The talk runs for about an hour and is followed by a 20ish minute Q&A from the audience.
This reward includes two tickets to the R&C event on February 20th, 2025. Powerhouse authors Lydia Millet & Richard Powers team up to discuss fiction and nonfiction, and the effects of mankind and science on our delicate world.
Once the campaign closes, we'll reach out to confirm your shipping address (if you prefer your tickets and books mailed), or to schedule a pickup at the current Lit Room bookstore location.
Bring your brewing dreams to life by working alongside our very own Adam Fleck, brewmaster of Alliteration Ales, to craft a new beer!
Brewery 1:1 sessions will be scheduled during the first half of 2025. You'll brew the beer alongside Adam at his brewery in West Boise. Beer will be distributed to Oldspeak along with other local spots!
Meet some of Idaho's great living writers. Indulge in a local chef's 3 course dinner, curated beer pairings (NA available) while you engage in soulful conversation with local authors. A night to remember!
This special dinner will be held at Oldspeak in late spring or early summer 2025. Local authors, including New York Times Best Selling Author Kim Cross, historian & author Mark Iverson, 2023 Treasure Valley Reads author Tomás Baiza, and more, will be in attendance. Full details will be provided via email regarding guest authors, date options, food preferences, and more.
A private tour with local history buff, Mark Iverson of Idahistory! Get in his 1970's GMC Kingsley motorhome and ride around learning all about Idaho's history (with a hefty helping of humor!). This private tour fits you + 7 friends, and the tour covers Garden City and the Boise Bench areas.
Tour will be arranged based on your schedule and Mark's availability in spring 2025. It's a little icy to take out the bus now!
She's mine, my precious! Make Oldspeak your backdrop for your own private party.
Once open, we will coordinate with you via email to schedule your event -- events can be held on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. 4 hours max (with all events ending at 10pm) + Includes $1,000 bar credit. This cost also includes full staffing for your event and Happy Book Hour all night for your special guests.
Did you know a home library is considered 1,000 or more books? We will help you curate your own, one genre at a time, to build the library of your dreams! (Note: shelves not included)
We'll meet with you over the course of several months to understand your book priorities, craft each section, and order your books! This purchase is available to folks located within the United States. If you're not in the Boise area, we will coordinate virtual sessions to build your personal library.
Highlights
See all activity244Activity
Plan on being a regular? This is for you! Your annual membership rewards you with 20 oz pours (vs standard 16), member-only beers, VIP events, discount on all wine and NA options, as well as discount on new books, Oldspeak merch, and more!
Membership is good for one full year, starting when Oldspeak opens its doors early 2025. Perfect gift for the holidays - get one for you, and one for your boo!
Book lovers unite! Pick one of our favorite books and contribute to our Oldspeak campaign! Your book will come with a bookmark, and it'll be embossed with our special seal on the cover page so you'll never forget where it came from.
Our top picks:
- On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong -- our #1 BESTSELLER at The Lit Room for 2024. We're all eagerly awaiting his next novel which debuts next summer.
- 1984 by George Orwell -- a timely read, both a classic and a historically banned book!
- Milk & Honey: 10th Anniversary Edition by Rupi Kaur -- she self-published on the internet, gained notoriety, and now is one of the most well known poets of our generation. This version has her personal annotations reflecting back on the work she first published 10 years ago. Also a banned book.
- For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway -- this novel ranks at #30 on the ALA’s list of most-banned classics. Idahoans claim him as one of our own, and the Hemingway House in Ketchum, Idaho hosts an invite-only writers-in-residency program. Another fun fact: Hemingway is also known for smuggling copies of Ulysses into the United States.
- Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov -- A poignant novel by Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov and one of our absolute favorite reads from the last few years! Originally published in 2018, it was translated by Boris Dralyuk and published in English in 2020 and in 2022, winning the inaugural Gregg Barrios Book in Translation Prize from the National Book Critics Circle. A important novel about the complexities of life, war, and trying to find peace in any way you can. We deem this one a classic for future generations.
- In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child by Kim Cross -- From one of our favorite Idaho literary friends, who happens to also be a NYT bestselling author. Kim's deep empathy and meticulous research make this true crime novel a truly moving must-read.
- Educated by Tara Westover -- an important memoir from an Idaho local. About the value of education, and learning there's more than one way to experience the world.
- Sip and Sensibility: An Inspired Literary Cocktail Collection -- a delightful recipe book that beckons both bibliophile and mixologists!
- The Jetset ABC's by Kaitlin Alyssa Charles -- Last but not least, a book for the kiddos (and the adults!). This lovely kids book tells all about the exuberant Aunt K as she returns from her globetrotting adventures ready to share her captivating tales with her eager nieces, Cici and Zaza. Local Boise author Kaitlin is also a delight in real life!
This isn’t your average bag; it’s a statement. Make a meaningful impact and get a bag that says, ‘I care, but I look good doing it.’ While it can be used for groceries, always use it to tote your books to and from Oldspeak (yes, we do have a used book trade-in program!).
Unisex limited edition crewneck brown sweatshirt, locally made. Oldspeak illustration on back in Ink Abyss black -- features the sharpening of a pencil with a knife. Top of illustration says Oldspeak Book Beer Bar, and bottom of illustration says Garden City, Idaho.
Front of shirt features small 3D Oldspeak "O" icon on top right side of sweatshirt.
Raise a glass—and some funds! With your contribution, you’ll get this sleek, etched beer glass that’s all class with a dash of attitude. Perfect for your favorite brew (or whatever you’re pouring), this glass makes it clear: you're here to support a cause and sip in style.
Receive a copy of four (4) of Idaho's most challenged/banned books and dig into some insightful reading, while supporting our local bookstore. Makes a great gift for 4 friends at $25 each!
Once the campaign closes, we'll send a survey for you to select which four books you'd like most.
Beer lovers unite! This contribution gets you a 3-hour tasting event with bites to nibble on; includes 6 beer tastings with commentary and education from our Alliteration Ales head brewer, Adam! Don't forget to tell your friends.
Event will occur in spring 2025, once Oldspeak doors are open.
Calling all wordsmiths! Add your favorite phases, quotes and poetry to our (GIANT) rotating letter board and have it featured during Happy Hour! The cheekier the better.
Once Oldspeak's doors are open, we'll email you with specifications for your Happy Hour phrase. You'll get to pick the week that the phrase runs, so you can be sure to stop by with your friends and let them see how smart or sassy you are. Phrase will run on rotation for one FULL week during Happy Hour.
For the aesthetic and bookstore lovers - merchandise one of our display tables for a week with your name on it! You pick the books and how it looks.
We'll coordinate with you to schedule time to curate a book display, once Oldspeak's doors are open!
LITERARY LOVERS, this crowdfunding reward is for you! Enjoy a set of two tickets for the February Readings & Conversations event hosted by The Cabin, our local literary nonprofit! You'll also receive a book from each author.
If you're less familiar, A Readings & Conversations lecture is an original talk by the author on the subject of their choice. It can be about their current book, upcoming projects, past works, relevant cultural issues, and more. The talk runs for about an hour and is followed by a 20ish minute Q&A from the audience.
This reward includes two tickets to the R&C event on February 20th, 2025. Powerhouse authors Lydia Millet & Richard Powers team up to discuss fiction and nonfiction, and the effects of mankind and science on our delicate world.
Once the campaign closes, we'll reach out to confirm your shipping address (if you prefer your tickets and books mailed), or to schedule a pickup at the current Lit Room bookstore location.
Bring your brewing dreams to life by working alongside our very own Adam Fleck, brewmaster of Alliteration Ales, to craft a new beer!
Brewery 1:1 sessions will be scheduled during the first half of 2025. You'll brew the beer alongside Adam at his brewery in West Boise. Beer will be distributed to Oldspeak along with other local spots!
Meet some of Idaho's great living writers. Indulge in a local chef's 3 course dinner, curated beer pairings (NA available) while you engage in soulful conversation with local authors. A night to remember!
This special dinner will be held at Oldspeak in late spring or early summer 2025. Local authors, including New York Times Best Selling Author Kim Cross, historian & author Mark Iverson, 2023 Treasure Valley Reads author Tomás Baiza, and more, will be in attendance. Full details will be provided via email regarding guest authors, date options, food preferences, and more.
A private tour with local history buff, Mark Iverson of Idahistory! Get in his 1970's GMC Kingsley motorhome and ride around learning all about Idaho's history (with a hefty helping of humor!). This private tour fits you + 7 friends, and the tour covers Garden City and the Boise Bench areas.
Tour will be arranged based on your schedule and Mark's availability in spring 2025. It's a little icy to take out the bus now!
She's mine, my precious! Make Oldspeak your backdrop for your own private party.
Once open, we will coordinate with you via email to schedule your event -- events can be held on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. 4 hours max (with all events ending at 10pm) + Includes $1,000 bar credit. This cost also includes full staffing for your event and Happy Book Hour all night for your special guests.
Did you know a home library is considered 1,000 or more books? We will help you curate your own, one genre at a time, to build the library of your dreams! (Note: shelves not included)
We'll meet with you over the course of several months to understand your book priorities, craft each section, and order your books! This purchase is available to folks located within the United States. If you're not in the Boise area, we will coordinate virtual sessions to build your personal library.
