YAKIMA, Wash. – Bale Breaker Brewing Company is offering a unique way for locals to spend their Sundays. The brewery has teamed up with Yakima Valley Libraries to encourage reading through their weekly book swap event.
The brewery, known for its welcoming atmosphere, invites people of all ages to exchange books while enjoying a brew. Lindsey Watkins, a bartender at Bale Breaker, shared how the event has grown in popularity over the past two years.
“I’ve seen groups of book clubs come down all together, drop off books, look through them, take books to go. We do have kids books, cookbooks, kind of a really large variety. And so I think it just encourages the community to read and to come get involved as well,” she said.
For those without a book to swap, a $5 donation allows them to take a book home. Watkins explained that all proceeds and leftover books are donated to Yakima libraries, supporting local literacy efforts.
“All the books left over at the end of the few months that we’re doing the book swaps on Sundays gets donated to the Yakima libraries. All the money raised goes to the Yakima libraries as well,” she said.
The idea for the book swap originated from the brewery’s love for reading, especially during the winter months. Watkins emphasized the importance of providing a cozy space for the community to enjoy new books.
“[The brewery is] all big readers and big book lovers, and we know that we read the most in the winter because there’s not a lot to do outside. So having something like this in the winter so people can come in and get something new and enjoy it is really the goal,” Watkins said.
Bale Breaker will host their final book swap of 2025 on Sunday, November 23, at noon.
