Novel Tea Book Shop

Novel Tea Book Shop is an independent bookstore in Ormond Beach, Florida, run by Stephanie Gonter inside a century-old building on Tomoka Avenue. Sharing its rooms with artist Angel Lowden's studio and a nod to Alice in Wonderland, the shop serves as a general store for creatives, pairing books with loose tea, book clubs and writers' gatherings.

The Studio in Ormond Beach, home of Novel Tea Book Shop
The Studio in Ormond Beach, home of Novel Tea Book Shop

Meet the maker

The story behind Novel Tea Book Shop

Novel Tea Book Shop began as a pop-up stand at local markets around Ormond Beach, Florida. Founder Stephanie Gonter started it to honor her late father's love of reading and to build something grounded in community. In 2023, local artist Angel Lowden invited her to bring the shop inside The Studio, Angel's gallery and boutique on Tomoka Avenue.

  • Ormond Beach, FL
  • Est. 2023 at The Studio
  • Started as a pop-up
  • Books, art and tea
Read the full storyShow less

The result is a shared space where books, art and tea sit side by side. Shelves of books and local art fill the room around a café that pours loose leaf teas, lattes and coffee. The tea selection runs from black, green and white to herbal, rooibos and pu erh, with seasonal blends through the year. Stephanie and Angel also co-founded The Creative Chapter, a nonprofit for literacy and the arts, and half of the café's sales go to support it.

“To provide a place for people to relax, read a book, and enjoy the comfort of a cup of tea.”

Novel Tea Book Shop

From the Tea Journal

Read up on it

More from the Tea Journal →