Although I have lived in Amherst for three years now, there are still so many cute spots on my bucket list to discover in the area before graduating. My latest adventure was the Montague Book Mill in Montague, Massachusetts. This may sound familiar, as I saw it a bunch of times on social media from fellow UMass students. It is about 20-30 north of UMass but is absolutely worth the drive on a cozy Sunday afternoon. Books, paninis, vinyl records, and quintessential New England vibes- the perfect excursion!
First and foremost, the books. The main attraction of the Book Mill is a used book store filled with different genres in practically new condition. The genres are spread out across two floors and multiple rooms of the building, each thoughtfully organized into the right spot. I could have literally wandered around browsing for hours. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable too. Used book stores are so beneficial to the environment and save essential resources. As I previously mentioned, all of the books I saw were in great condition, and there were some cool editions that aren’t sold in retail stores. Even better- they are also less expensive! Plus, small business shopping stops large retailers like Barnes and Noble from monopolizing the industry. In the Amherst area, we’re lucky to have so many options to shop local, especially for books. If Montague Book Mill is too far of a drive, check out Raven Used Books or Tim’s Used Books in Northampton too.
Next, Lady Killigrew Cafe. You might be wondering, what’s that? I thought I was reading about the Montague Book Mill? I was surprised to find out when I visited that connected directly to the bookstore was an adorable cafe with delicious paninis. The dining space is relatively small, but there were about eight tables for two, plus a bar to sit at. Around lunchtime, they had coffee, tea, paninis, and salads but at night it appeared to turn into a bar with beer and wine. I swear, this place just kept getting cooler. I got the pesto, mozzarella, tomato panini which was delicious. My roommate got brie, apricot jam, and marinated apples which got a great review as well. This was the perfect lunch to eat overlooking the water. In a warmer season, it looked like they had a great deck space that could be used for seating as well.
It doesn’t stop there! In a separate building beside the book mill, there was a two-level building with a used vinyl record store on the bottom and a local craft/poetry store on the top. Both of these shops fit the aesthetic of the book mill perfectly and helped create a little village of places as opposed to just a bookstore. Although I didn’t buy any records that day, there was a good collection of oldies and a Christmas section!
Lastly, the view of the book mill was really what sold the location. The red bookstore/cafe is placed at the base of a water mill (looks like a waterfall) that flows past the buildings. This rushing river plus the spectacular fall foliage was truly a breathtaking view. In the summer, the outdoor seating would be lovely to watch the water, eat a sandwich and read a book. Overall, the book mill did not disappoint and I would definitely recommend making a trip while living in Western Mass.
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