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Imagine a beautiful fall afternoon, a new book you’ve been looking forward to reading, and a pot of hot tea delivered to your table. Maybe you’re sitting inside, surrounded by beautiful artwork and bookshelves, or outside on the patio, enjoying the sunshine and watching people stroll along Main Street in Trilith.
At Scholar & Scribe, you can buy the book, order the tea, and settle in for the afternoon. There’s no rush. A server will bring your order to you.
It’s the sort of place where you can browse for your next favorite novel, meet a friend over coffee, settle into a comfortable chair with a book, or enjoy an evening of wine and charcuterie. If you’re feeling especially indulgent, there’s even a caviar service.
Co-owners Tela Kayne and Carmen Coe have created something that feels both luxurious and welcoming, where carefully selected books, antiques, artwork, food, and drinks come together in a space designed to make people want to stay awhile.
And it works.
On my first visit, Kayne and Coe introduced me to a London Fog, an Earl Grey tea latte that was so good I knew I would be returning. A few weeks later, I brought my grown son and an English friend for an afternoon visit. My friend was particularly delighted by the traditional tea service, and we enjoyed an unhurried afternoon surrounded by books and conversation.
On another occasion, I met a nonprofit leader there to discuss her upcoming book signing at Scholar & Scribe. The same space that had been perfect for a casual afternoon with family and friends worked just as well for a business meeting.
My go-to order is now a pot of Earl Grey.
A bookstore inspired by friendship and travel
Kayne and Coe met as neighbors in Trilith in the summer of 2021. Both have four children, many of similar ages, and their families quickly became friends.
They began sharing meals, vacations, and a love of the independent bookstores they discovered while traveling.
For Coe, bookstores had long been part of her family’s traditions.
“I think for my family, we’ve always told our kids, you know, any book you want to buy, the answer is always yes,” Coe said. “Toys are a maybe or a quick no. Electronics, quick no. But we’ve always told them any book you want to buy, the answer is always yes.”
Her family sought out local bookstores whenever they traveled, allowing each child to choose a book to enjoy during the vacation.
Kayne’s connection to books began even earlier. Her mother was a librarian, and she grew up surrounded by stacks of books.
When the opportunity arose to open a bookstore in Trilith, where storytelling is central to the community’s identity and nearby film studios, the idea seemed natural.
“I wanted to be able to walk to a local bookstore from my house,” Kayne said.
Their vision was influenced by the old European bookstores they had visited together, places where literature, conversation, and community had long been intertwined.
The name Scholar & Scribe was inspired partly by traditional English establishments such as The Eagle and Child, the Oxford pub where literary figures including J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis gathered as part of a writers’ group known as the Inklings.
The two women envisioned a similar gathering place for readers, writers, and neighbors.
From a tiny storefront to an elegant Main Street destination
Scholar & Scribe opened in March 2024 in a little storefront on Trilith’s Paseo, a pedestrian-only walkway tucked away from Main Street.
At just over 500 square feet, it wasn’t particularly convenient for attracting passing customers.
But people found it anyway.
The owners organized author visits, children’s activities, and gatherings that frequently spilled outside onto the walkway.
One memorable early event featured bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews, who drew an audience despite the summer heat and the bookstore’s small size.
“It was like the ultimate proof of concept,” Kayne said.
After about a year, the bookstore moved to its larger Main Street location. The full concept, including the Library Bar, opened January 1, 2026.
Today, the bookstore side is brighter, with soft sage-green walls and shelves of carefully selected titles. The adjoining Library Bar takes on a richer, moodier atmosphere, with deep navy walls, comfortable furnishings, and a collection of art and antiques that might remind visitors of a European study.
The Library Bar’s walls are also lined with handsome hardbound classics, available for purchase by readers who appreciate books that have stood the test of time. Some customers collect matching editions, building personal libraries that are as beautiful to look at as they are enjoyable to read.
Nearly everything on the walls has a story.
The owners sourced many of the pieces from antique stores in Fayetteville, Peachtree City, and Atlanta. Some came from their own families, including a mirror that belonged to Kayne’s mother. A large gathering table, now known as the friends table, originally stood in Kayne’s home.
“We wanted it to feel like home, like a living room,” Kayne said.
The result is an environment that feels established and steeped in history, even though the expanded business is less than a year old.
A $9 tea service worth lingering over
The Library Bar is considerably more impressive than the coffee counter someone might expect to find inside a bookstore.
Guests can order espresso drinks, traditional teas, pastries, afternoon tea, European-style sandwiches, or a glass of wine, all served at their tables.
The sandwiches include combinations such as burrata and tomato or salami and Gruyère. Scones are prepared by a local baker, while the meats and cheeses used for other offerings are imported from Europe.
Evening visitors can enjoy charcuterie, tinned fish, and caviar service, with champagne available to accompany a special occasion.
The $180 caviar service may be the most luxurious item on the menu, but the same attention to presentation carries through to a $9 pot of tea.
For that $9, guests receive an entire pot of tea served over a warming candle, with beautiful teacups, a decorative trivet, a little pitcher of milk, sugar cubes or honey, and shortbread cookies for dipping. There’s even a timer so you know exactly how long to steep your tea.
It’s not much more than you might pay for a specialty drink at an ordinary coffee shop, but the presentation feels like something you might find in an elegant English tearoom.
“It’s an invitation to linger for sure,” Kayne said.
And when the weather is beautiful, guests can enjoy that same tea service outdoors on Scholar & Scribe’s patio.
Trilith was recently named the Citizens’ Choice winner for Best Patio for People Watching in the annual awards presented by The Citizen and powered by the Fayette Chamber of Commerce. Scholar & Scribe’s patio is a perfect example of why.
It’s a lovely place to watch people stroll by, enjoy a conversation, or simply turn a few pages of a good book.
Books selected by people who love them
The same care extends to the bookshelves.
Rather than relying entirely on conventional bestseller displays, the owners and their staff bring their individual interests into the shop’s inventory.
Their bookshop manager is a poet who has developed the poetry section. Another staff member has a passion for horror, fantasy, and Dungeons & Dragons. Coe particularly loves historical fiction.
The bookstore welcomes families and offers children’s books, gifts, and titles across a range of genres. Customers can also special-order books that aren’t on the shelves.
But books are only part of the mission.
Scholar & Scribe has become a gathering place for book clubs, with groups meeting throughout the month to discuss fiction, romance, mysteries, fantasy, Christian fiction, poetry, and classics. There are also clubs devoted to audiobooks and books adapted for movies and television.
Readers can join one of Scholar & Scribe’s established groups, or bring their own book club into the shop. Existing clubs can order their selections through the bookstore and receive a 10% discount on those books. Members of the store’s own book clubs also receive a 10% discount on their selected titles when purchased there.
The bookstore regularly hosts author visits, book signings, children’s story times, and a writers’ guild where aspiring and experienced writers can share their work, discuss publishing, and learn from one another.
Kayne calls the concept a “third space,” somewhere beyond home and work where people can gather.
“People are seeking a third space,” she said. “You’ve got your home, you’ve got work, and then it’s like, where do you go?”
She believes independent bookstores can help fill that role, particularly in an era when so much shopping happens online.
A midnight celebration for ACOTAR fans
One of Scholar & Scribe’s biggest upcoming events will take place October 26, when the bookstore hosts a midnight release party for A Court of Splintered Harmony, the highly anticipated sixth book in Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series.
Known to fans as ACOTAR, the bestselling romantic fantasy series began in 2015 with the story of Feyre Archeron, a young human woman whose life becomes entangled with the dangerous and magical world of the faeries.
The series is set largely in the fictional land of Prythian and blends romance, magic, political intrigue, warfare, and complex relationships. It has developed a devoted following of readers who eagerly await each new installment.
The new book, scheduled for release October 27, continues the story in a world still recovering from war, with new threats emerging and divisions growing among powerful characters.
Kayne described the release as one of the publishing world’s most anticipated events.
“Her sixth book in the series is coming out October 27th, and we’re having a midnight release party,” she said. “It’s definitely a very anticipated day when that book is available to read.”
Scholar & Scribe’s event, called Maasquerade, begins at 10 p.m. October 26. The Library Bar will become a fantasy-inspired masquerade setting, with themed activities, games, specialty drinks, and opportunities for fans to celebrate together.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in gowns, cloaks, masks, or other fantasy-inspired clothing, although costumes aren’t required.
Tickets have been listed at $35.98 and include admission to the celebration, entertainment and activities, and a copy of the new book, which guests can take home at midnight. Advance reservations are strongly encouraged because space is limited.
The celebration reflects the owners’ larger philosophy: A bookstore should give readers opportunities to experience stories together, not just purchase them.
Building a community around books
The business is a second career for both owners.
Kayne, a McIntosh High School graduate who attended the University of Georgia, previously worked in real estate and operated a digital advertising agency. She also spent time in Los Angeles pursuing acting.
Coe grew up near Clemson, South Carolina, and worked in real estate in the Atlanta area before moving to Trilith in 2020.
Both now focus on running Scholar & Scribe while raising their families.
They also offer membership programs designed to give customers ongoing benefits while supporting the independent bookstore.
Options include a Book of the Month Club, a Wine of the Month program, a Young Scholars membership for younger readers, and a combined book-and-wine membership called Fellows. Members receive selected books or wine, discounts, and other benefits depending on their membership.
Wine Wednesdays offer opportunities to learn about different wines and regions, while the bookstore’s growing schedule of events gives readers plenty of reasons to return.
Coe said the response to the expanded business has been encouraging, although many people in surrounding communities still haven’t discovered Trilith.
“We need more customers. We need all the support we can get to help continue to grow, but yeah, it’s going great,” she said.
And there are more experiences ahead, including plans to make the holiday season at the bookstore particularly memorable.
For Kayne and Coe, Scholar & Scribe represents the kind of neighborhood gathering place they once sought out while traveling with their families.
Now they’ve created one in their own backyard.
Whether you come for a new novel, a glass of wine, a book club, an elaborate caviar service, or simply an afternoon with a pot of Earl Grey, Scholar & Scribe offers something increasingly uncommon: a beautiful place where there’s no reason to hurry.
Buy the book. Order the tea. Enjoy life one beautiful afternoon at a time.
Visit Scholar & Scribe
Scholar & Scribe is located at 300 Trilith Parkway, Suite 260, Fayetteville, on Main Street in the Town at Trilith.
The bookstore and Library Bar are open Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For information about memberships, book clubs, author events, and upcoming activities, visit scholarandscribe.com or follow the bookstore on Instagram at @scholarandscribe.
Tickets for the October 26 ACOTAR midnight release celebration are available through the bookstore’s Maasquerade event listing.
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