City

New romance bookstore + wine bar coming to Raleigh’s West End

Bright Side Books & Wine will open at Kane Realty’s Platform apartment complex this fall as an independently owned book store with perfectly paired wines for a vast catalog of romance novels.

August 4, 2025 • 
Allie Remhof
RAL_PlatformAerial_AUG2025

Platform apartments is attracting small businesses to Raleigh’s growing West End neighborhood.

Photo provided by Kane Realty

Downtown Raleigh is gaining a spot for romance readers + wine lovers with a cozy space in a burgeoning neighborhood. Bright Side Books & Wine, owned and operated by Susannah Baird, promises a community space in addition to a space for local + independent authors to thrive. Bright Side will open at Platform apartments this fall, according to Kane Realty.

In addition to romance reads and vino, expect trivia nights, themed book clubs, author gatherings, and more community events for NC’s creative community. Bright Side was also funded by the community, with a recent Kickstarter receiving $51,400 from the community.

Bright Side will join The Bike Library, Homebody Yoga & Wellness, and Mood Raleigh nail salon at Platform + The West End, and Kane’s nearby Oldham & Worth project is now under construction, too. Learn more about Bright Side from their Instagram.

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