Worcester's Bedlam Book Café Marks 5 Years With Community Party

WORCESTER, MA — Independent Worcester bookseller Bedlam Book Cafe will celebrate its 5th anniversary next months with a community celebration featuring food and book discounts.

Nicole DiCello opened the Green Street bookstore and coffee shop in 2018 in the Crompton Place building, offering a wide selection of new and used books, with a particular focus on poetry, including local readings.

"When I had the idea to start this bookstore/café, no one was more surprised than me when it took off. The fact that I'm still here, through three major construction projects that began my first year in business all within one block of me, followed by a global pandemic in years two and three, is beyond gratifying. I feel incredibly humbled and honored that Bedlam has been embraced by this community," DiCello, a member of the city's Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, said in a news release.

Bedlam opened in the space that previously housed Seed To Stem, which grew into a much larger space in Crompton Place, the shopping hub in Worcester's Canal District.

The 5th anniversary celebration will include a public party on Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with cake for anyone who attends, plus a display of love letters to the store. Bedlam will also offer a free book (valued under $10) for every four books any shopper buys.

"I hope you'll join us to celebrate, since we wouldn't be here without you. I feel it's important, especially in the midst of climate change and political chaos, to seize opportunities to come together in happiness," DiCello said in a news release.