SHELBURNE FALLS — After decades as the home of Boswell’s Books, the building at 10 Bridge St. has been sold and is slated to become the new location for Hotfire Bar and Grill.
Boswell’s Books, owned by Raymond Neal, who also owns Roundabout Books in Greenfield, will close on March 29 and be consolidated with the Greenfield location at 85 Pierce St. Chad Flasinski, chef and owner of Hotfire Bar and Grill, said he plans to renovate the space and hopes to open the eatery there near the end of May.
“Last fall, after looking at almost a dozen locations, we learned that the building at 10
Bridge St. was up for sale after the current tenant, Boswell’s Books, had declined to
purchase the property on two separate occasions,” Flasinski said in a statement, noting that he began searching for a new location due to “unfair lease requirements.” “Moving our business and buying a building was not something we had planned or budgeted for. It required us to scrape together every dollar we had. But as residents who care deeply about the future of this village, we decided to take that leap and rework every part of our personal and professional lives in the hope that we could somehow make it a possibility.
“We were grateful when the previous owner ultimately chose us to take stewardship of the building,” Flasinski added, “because it allowed our business to stay in Shelburne Falls and ensured the building would remain in the hands of local owners who understand and share the village’s values.”
Flasinski said he is a supporter of Boswell’s Books, and he offered to renovate the basement of the building for the bookshop’s use, but Neal did not “believe it would be a good space for the store.” Neal hopes to eventually find a location where the bookstore can be reopened in Shelburne Falls, but at this time, he will focus on moving the collection to Greenfield.
“It has been a pleasure to serve Shelburne Falls for four years. It is a great place to be and an eager community for literature. We are now practiced at operating and staffing two stores, something that I never imagined before Ken and Nancy Eisenstein approached me about Boswell’s in 2021,” Neal said in a statement. “I feel strongly how much I will miss what we’ve built at Boswell’s. Many of you have seen me late at night delivering books to Bozzy’s. Especially in this last year, when our booksellers have continued to refine our shop, I have often stopped in the middle of my hauling and looked through the dim shop. I felt, ‘This is exactly where I wanted to be.’ Boswell’s is a jewel.”
Having had multiple names and locations over the years, the store known as Boswell’s Bookshop opened in May 1991. Boswell’s had used the space with a month-to-month lease under former owner Daughters Properties LLC, which had purchased the building from Doug and Jen Martin of Martin Ventures LLC in 2023.
The bookstore cat, Boswell, will not be traveling to the Roundabout Books location in Greenfield, but will remain in Shelburne Falls. Neal wrote that the cat will be adopted by a local family and that the staff at Boswell’s will relocate to Roundabout.
“Sweet Boswell herself, our beloved bookstore cat, who is now 17 years old, will be adopted to a loving family,” Neal said. “We have had a lot of interest from our customers and friends wanting to share their home with her in her senior years. I couldn’t have hoped for a sweeter, more gentle bookstore cat than Boswell.”
He said consolidating comes with its challenges, including figuring out how to logistically fit the 10,000 books located in Shelburne in the Greenfield location.
Neal thanked longtime customers for their support and said he hopes they will visit the Greenfield location. There will be a welcoming reception for Boswell’s customers at Roundabout Books on Saturday, April 4, at 1 p.m. People can peruse the shelves and enjoy complimentary tea and baked goods from Rise Above.
“I feel deeply grateful for your support of our independent bookshop. In 2026, I am mindful of just how meaningful it is to have been able to thrive in a small New England village,” Neal said. “I want to invite you to visit us at Roundabout, too, as many of you do already. You will find all the love of books and the genuine welcome you have come to expect from us. From me personally, thank you for letting me live this literary life.”
Flasinski said he hopes Neal is able to find a new storefront in Shelburne Falls and that people support the bookstore in Greenfield. He asks them to view the transition not as a conflict between two businesses, but a challenging decision for two local business owners.
“We sincerely hope the community will continue to support Raymond Neal’s bookstores, and we hope Boswell’s will see the value in relocating to another storefront if it means staying in Shelburne Falls,” Flasinski said in a statement. “So please, shop local, because no one wins when a downtown is divided, and every invested Shelburne Falls small business owner deserves the chance to write our own happy ending.”
Flasinski said his focus during this time will be on continuing to serve quality meals to his customers. Hotfire Bar and Grill’s menu will be expanding with the new location, although Flasinski said the changes are “a closely guarded secret” for now.