Looking to have a drink and read a good book in Halifax? Meet the Thirsty Reader

The Thirsty Reader launched in September 2025. (Source: Becky Davison)

Armed with $10 from her parents, Becky Davison, along with her stepsisters, would prowl the book aisles of Woozles in Halifax, carefully selecting her next read from the rows and rows of potential page-turners.

“We would spend what felt like hours buying books,” she said. “My mom always encouraged us to read.”

Davison was a kid at the time, but her passion for reading and collecting books hasn’t dimmed over the years. On sunny days, she and her husband often head to patios and enjoy a good read with a drink, striking up conversations with their fellow patrons.

She’s transformed that past-time into a full-blown mobile market, launching The Thirsty Reader, a travelling bookstore that pops up at bars and pubs around Nova Scotia.

“This summer I was working on a project and it failed and I needed a new project that I’m excited about,” Davison said. “I wanted to start something new. It could be a pop-up.

“There are silent reading events at Good Robot. They took a chance on me and let me host my first event.”

Davison kicked off the project in late September and she’s already seen a strong response from attendees and venues.

“I’m very impressed with the people who have come out,” she said. “People want an excuse to come out. It’s not a networking event, you’re coming out to a pub to have a pint. You get to talk about books.

“There’s a big resurgence of physical books. There are a lot of people on social media talking about books. It’s good to see bookstores thriving and surviving.”

At each pop-up, Davison lays out dozens of novels, taking care to highlight local authors such as Lesley Crewe, Jane Doucet, Jessica Ilse, Susan LeBlanc, Michelle Hebert, Matt Thomson and Keonte Beals.

“I predominantly have fiction,” she said. “I have some biographies, some self help. Predominantly the books I’m showing are books I’ve read.”

Davison’s bookstore has already taken her around Halifax and to Grand Manan, N.B. She has events lined up at vineyards and pubs well into December.

“The irony of running the store is I don’t have a lot of time to read anymore,” she said.

Davison hopes to expand her business by providing books to reading clubs and bringing more pop-up events to places like Moncton and Cape Breton.

“For me, it’s fun because I get to go to new places, have a pint, read books and meet people,” she said.

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