109 E. Franklin Street

EPILOGUE / ROSES

The building which currently houses the Epilogue Books & Chocolate Brews was first occupied by Edward Arthur Brown’s Furniture Store in 1910. In 1923, an A&P grocery store was opened in a section of the furniture store. In 1926, John P. Crowder opened a general merchandise store in this location, and continued to share the space with the A&P. (Address numbers were first assigned to Franklin St. buildings in 1928.) In 1936, Crowder’s general store closed, and Rose’s department store took over the space, remaining there until 1979, when it relocated to the new University Mall. The building was then occupied by Rite-Aid Pharmacy until the mid-1990s, when Kerr Drugs took over the space.  In 2019, Epilogue Books & Chocolate Brews opened to offer another unique Franklin Street experience.  

Local owners Miranda and Jaime Sanchez tell their story…

“The core of our idea began years ago as the union of Jaime’s heritage and Miranda’s passion for writing and the transportive nature of reading.  Wanderers and wonderers, our idea continued to group in the plazuelas of Mexico and the chocolaterias of Spain, in the plazasa of every country where such spaces form quasi-families for both the briefest of moments and the longest stretches of time.  In these spaces, people share everything from decadent chocolate to fried street food to myth- like tales to the memories of our childhood selves chasing pigeons and sucking the sticky droplets from paletas off our fingers.

We wholeheartedly believe that the communal experience, whether you’re an active or passive participant, is cultivated by the sharing of food, drink, culture, and story.  Inspired, our idea blossomed into Epilogue: a community atmosphere where you can read a book while enjoying craft brews, a glass of wine, or churros and a cup of chocolate.

Epilogue aims to be a place where people can gather, whether to cultivate new ideas, learn old ones, or escape into the welcoming atmosphere that books, chocolate, and coffee all provide.  All are welcome here. Come on in and enjoy!”