HOLE IN THE WALL. Flora's Books and Bread opened this spring in Eau Claire, combining books, baked goods, plants, and gifts under one roof.

Flora’s Books and Bread (1223 Menomonie St., Eau Claire) offers an intimate, eclectic experience to Chippewa Valley patrons looking to find their next page-turner, café hangout, or loaf of freshly baked bread.

Flora’s, which shares a space with Old Testament Firearms, is a place where the store owner, Anna Flora, is happy to announce, “everyone is welcome.”

Jason Flora, Anna's husband, opened Old Testament Firearms about five years ago, bringing their dream of small business ownership to fruition. However, Anna, with her love of both reading and baking (thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien and her grandmother, respectively) saw the other half of the shop's physical space as another opportunity.

The unique pairing of books and bread is as practical as it is a passion project, Anna said. “When you have a bookstore, you need more than just books.”

In the back of the space, a reading area with a nod to Lord of the Rings. On the business's website, its book selection is described as "less 'algorithmically curated feed' and more 'your next hyper-fixation."

Flora’s has certainly accomplished this, with weekly specialty breads (sourdough, focaccia, and more), gifts, plants, and hot coffee and tea offered in-house. The store sells new and used books of all genres, with an emphasis on romance, fantasy, dystopian, and books written by local authors.

For those who love to read — but may not want to keep each title they dive into — Flora’s even has a section of rentable books (primarily including harder-to-find titles or collections, such as complete mystery series’ from the early 2000s).

Dive into your next story at Flora's; Stay awhile in the cozy seating area (with a Hobbit-style door as the backdrop) and enjoy a cup of something warm. Events like author signings and book clubs are also welcome.

Flora’s Books and Bread (1223 Menomonie St., Eau Claire) is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11am-7pm; Saturday from 10am-4pm • You can find Flora's freshly baked bread in-house or at the Seymour Town Hall Farmer's Market on Wednesdays • Learn more at ecbooksandbread.com and keep up with the shop on Facebook