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Trident Booksellers & Cafe

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 Boston, 02115

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About

Trident Booksellers & Cafe has shared 338 Newbury Street between books and a kitchen since Bernie and Gail Flynn opened it in 1984, when, as the shop tells it, putting a bookstore and a café under one roof was still unusual. Four decades on the café has grown into a full-service restaurant and the shop remains independent and owned by the Flynn family, now led by Bernie’s daughter Courtney and daughter-in-law Kim.

It suits a reader who wants to browse and then stay for a meal, a solo traveler looking for a table with a book, and anyone doing Newbury Street who needs a break from boutiques. It sits at the Massachusetts Avenue end of Newbury Street in Back Bay, near the Hynes Convention Center stop on the Green Line, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, which makes it an early breakfast or a late-evening stop.

A building with a past

The shop has researched its own address. The building went up in 1886 as the Newbury Stable Company, a club stable where members kept horses and carriages; by 1910 it housed the Motor Car Service Company. Later it held offices and an alternative education program, and from 1989 parts of it were home to the Boston Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center and other LGBTQ+ organizations. The 1886 date is still carved into the brick front.

Books and the café

The bookstore keeps its own bestseller lists in hardcover and paperback fiction and nonfiction, plus a shelf of staff picks, and sells gifts alongside the books. In-stock titles and preorders can be shipped or held for store pickup through the shop’s website. The café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with coffee, cocktails, beer and wine; takeout and delivery orders go through the café’s online ordering page, and the café also takes reservations on OpenTable.

Events and The Stacks

Book clubs, trivia nights, lectures, craft nights and author talks are part of the regular program, and some events are ticketed through the website. For the shop’s 40th anniversary in 2024 it took over the whole second floor to create The Stacks, a 1,350-square-foot room among the bookshelves with an original brick wall and exposed pipes. It hosts public programs and private parties from birthdays to weddings, with in-house catering, a bar and an event coordinator.

Sources: Trident Booksellers & Cafe, Our Story, private events, café menu. Checked September 30, 2026.

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Company Name
Trident Booksellers & Cafe
Phone Number
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Location
338 Newbury Street
Boston, 02115

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About Trident Booksellers & Cafe

Quick answer: Trident Booksellers & Cafe is a bookstore at 338 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02115. Independent bookstore and full-service café on Newbury Street since 1984, open daily from 8 a.m., with author talks and The Stacks upstairs.

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Trident Booksellers & Cafe has shared 338 Newbury Street between books and a kitchen since Bernie and Gail Flynn opened it in 1984, when, as the shop tells it, putting a bookstore and a café under one roof was still unusual. Four decades on the café has grown into a full-service restaurant and the shop remains independent and owned by the Flynn family, now led by Bernie’s daughter Courtney and daughter-in-law Kim.

It suits a reader who wants to browse and then stay for a meal, a solo traveler looking for a table with a book, and anyone doing Newbury Street who needs a break from boutiques. It sits at the Massachusetts Avenue end of Newbury Street in Back Bay, near the Hynes Convention Center stop on the Green Line, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, which makes it an early breakfast or a late-evening stop.

A building with a past

The shop has researched its own address. The building went up in 1886 as the Newbury Stable Company, a club stable where members kept horses and carriages; by 1910 it housed the Motor Car Service Company. Later it held offices and an alternative education program, and from 1989 parts of it were home to the Boston Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center and other LGBTQ+ organizations. The 1886 date is still carved into the brick front.

Books and the café

The bookstore keeps its own bestseller lists in hardcover and paperback fiction and nonfiction, plus a shelf of staff picks, and sells gifts alongside the books. In-stock titles and preorders can be shipped or held for store pickup through the shop’s website. The café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with coffee, cocktails, beer and wine; takeout and delivery orders go through the café’s online ordering page, and the café also takes reservations on OpenTable.

Events and The Stacks

Book clubs, trivia nights, lectures, craft nights and author talks are part of the regular program, and some events are ticketed through the website. For the shop’s 40th anniversary in 2024 it took over the whole second floor to create The Stacks, a 1,350-square-foot room among the bookshelves with an original brick wall and exposed pipes. It hosts public programs and private parties from birthdays to weddings, with in-house catering, a bar and an event coordinator.

Sources: Trident Booksellers & Cafe, Our Story, private events, café menu. Checked September 30, 2026.

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Business Hours

Open daily · 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Amenities at Trident Booksellers & Cafe

  • Reservations accepted (OpenTable)
  • Café delivery and pickup
  • Book shipping and store pickup
  • Gift cards
  • Bulk sales
  • Private events space
  • Events program

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Trident Booksellers & Cafe?
Trident Booksellers & Cafe is at 338 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02115, in Back Bay, on the block between Hereford Street and Massachusetts Avenue. The closest T stop is Hynes Convention Center on the Green Line. Metered street parking is available, and the Hynes Auditorium Garage and the Somerset Garage are nearby. It is Trident's only location.
What are Trident's opening hours?
The bookstore and café are open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. They are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
What does the café serve, and where can I see the menu?
The café has grown into a full-service restaurant alongside the bookstore. Its food menu is on the shop's online ordering site, where you can order for pickup or delivery; menu items and pricing may vary there. The cocktail, beer and wine menus are available in person when you dine in.
Can I make a reservation or get café food delivered?
Yes. The café accepts reservations on OpenTable; parties of more than 10 people may be accommodated in the private events room. For delivery, the café offers delivery through its Toast delivery partner, and also through Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash.
Can I order books online?
Yes. The shop's website sells books online: in-stock and preorder books can be shipped or held for store pickup, with pickup orders ready within 1 to 3 business days. For all other titles, the shop directs customers to its Bookshop.org storefront. It also offers audiobooks through Libro.fm.
Does Trident host events?
Yes. Trident runs a regular program that includes book clubs, trivia nights, lectures, craft nights and author talks, listed on the events calendar on its website. Some events are ticketed.
Can I book a private party or event at Trident?
Yes. The Stacks, the shop's private event space among the bookshelves on the second floor, offers 1,350 square feet with an original brick wall and exposed ceiling pipes. It hosts celebrations and gatherings with full-service in-house catering and a dedicated event coordinator, and larger events can reserve the entire second floor. Inquiries go through the Private Events page on the shop's website.
Can I study or read at Trident?
Yes, Trident describes itself as a "third place," somewhere between home and work, where people read over breakfast, study for an exam, or sit with a book among other people. The bookstore and café are open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Is Trident an independent bookstore, and how long has it been open?
Yes. Bernie and Gail Flynn opened Trident Booksellers & Café in 1984, when combining a bookstore and a café under one roof was still unusual. More than forty years on, it remains independent and owned by the Flynn family, led by Bernie's daughter Courtney and daughter-in-law Kim.
Does Trident sell gift cards or take bulk book orders?
Yes to both. Gift cards are sold through the shop's website and can be used in the bookstore or the café. For bulk orders of 10 or more books, Trident offers a tiered discount depending on quantity, arranged through its bulk-order inquiry form.

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