When Paige Lipari opened her bookstore Archestratus in Greenpoint in 2016, she did so with $40,000 of her own savings and loans from friends and family. (All of which have since been paid back.) At the time, she didn’t expect to run a shop that specializes in books and food, but Lipari’s laid-back approach to Italian-accented baking and cooking resonated with the public and, during the pandemic, Archestratus shifted to selling more fresh grocery items and merch.

Now, Archestratus is making another shift, expanding next door to add an entirely new book-browsing area, while the original space at 160 Huron Street will offer an expanded Italian grocery, more café seating, plus beer, wine, and cocktails (provided Lipari can upgrade her current liquor license).