Atticus Bookstore/Café
Walk past the front windows on a crisp winter afternoon and you'll spot two inviting chairs bathed in warm light—a quiet counterargument to the cookie-cutter retail landscape that dominated the 1970s. This independent shop predates the museum next door by several years, having launched back in 1976 with interiors that echo the distinctive white oak character Jay Bright drew from the museum's iconic Louis Kahn architecture. The custom-built shelving and thoughtfully curated fixtures were deliberate choices that set the tone from day one. When a neighboring cheese operation closed in 1980, the owners seized the opportunity to expand into that space, creating a more generous experience for browsing and lingering—the kind of place that feels especially welcoming when you need refuge from the cold.