Open for dine-in or pickup!
Our story
Spring of 2014
When Changing Hands Bookstore opened its Phoenix location in May of 2014, it brought with it a new spot to relax, grab a pint, and gather with fellow book lovers. Since then, First Draft Book Bar has expanded its offerings to include more than 40 craft beers, 20 wines, local mead, and a full range of coffee drinks and food.
Spring of 2020
In March of 2020, Changing Hands Bookstore and First Draft Book Bar temporarily closed to the public for the first time. Through incredible local support, both Changing Hands and First Draft withstood the COVID-19 pandemic, finding creative ways to serve the community even as our doors remained closed. Changing Hands would later reopen for socially-distanced shopping, and First Draft reopened for dine-in in the late summer.
Present Day
First Draft Book Bar continues to serve the community with curbside pickup, take-out, and dine-in! Check out our homepage for current hours of operation. We have partnered with Phoenix College and The Virginia G. Piper Center at ASU for our monthly writing workshop series, Write Here Write Now. USA Today Books Editor Barbara VanDenburgh also continues to host our popular First Draft Book Club every month.
Interested in booking an event? Please email The Newton Events Coordinator at events@thenewtonphx.com
Our crew
Alex
Kelsey
Alex
Aside from spending hours digging through used albums at the record store, Alex also enjoys listening to music, and writing songs of his own. A prevailing analog theme presents itself through his life, as he also likes to learn about mechanical cameras, shoot film photos, and develop prints and negatives. He loves reading, painting with
Aside from spending hours digging through used albums at the record store, Alex also enjoys listening to music, and writing songs of his own. A prevailing analog theme presents itself through his life, as he also likes to learn about mechanical cameras, shoot film photos, and develop prints and negatives. He loves reading, painting with his girlfriend, and spending time with their two kittens. Additionally, Alex is currently attending college for a degree in printmaking, and owns original copies of the first eight “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” games.
Erin
Kelsey
Alex
Erin has a bachelor's degree in creative writing and English after graduating from The University of Arizona. Outside of pouring beer and brewing coffee, she likes to read sci-fi fantasy novels and Marvel comics. Her life long goal is to meet Taylor Swift... and also be a published nonfiction poetry writer.
Kelsey
Kelsey
Kieyona
Kelsey is our Food Manager here at First Draft. She's a vintage enthusiast/Disney Adult/Star Wars fanatic who WILL talk your ear off about Rebels, so be prepared. When she's not up to her elbows in flour, you can find her tracking down new food adventures with her daughter and eating both their weights in dumplings.
Kieyona
Kieyona
Kieyona
Kieyona is our newest bartender! When they aren’t suggesting which pastry you should pair with your beer (psst, it’s all of the pastries!), they are usually found scream-singing to their favorite songs while cleaning the house, falling asleep during the first ten minutes of movie night with their partner, or laughing along to Spongebob.
Kieyona is our newest bartender! When they aren’t suggesting which pastry you should pair with your beer (psst, it’s all of the pastries!), they are usually found scream-singing to their favorite songs while cleaning the house, falling asleep during the first ten minutes of movie night with their partner, or laughing along to Spongebob. They are wanting to get back into gardening now that they have a backyard, so feel free to pass along gardening tips when you’re next in for a book and a drink!
Ryan
Kieyona
Ryan
When not at work Ryan may be found hiking and spending time with his wife Kalyn. Ryan also enjoys spending his time reading about and exploring topics ranging from literature, poetry, painting, and sculpture, to matters of the human condition, to his deep love of Dungeons and Dragons, board games, and drinking delicious beverages.