Books, bread, and black bean soup

Mark Alden Branch ’86

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“Countless tears are dropped into Atticus bread baskets. Here Yalies apologize, discuss, court, forgive, and remember.” Thirty years ago, Michelle Chihara ’96 explained in our pages what made Atticus Bookstore Cafe the campus coffeehouse for important conversations. In December, the store celebrated its 50th anniversary. At an event sponsored by Yale University Properties (the store’s landlord), founder Charles Negaro Sr. talked about how he spotted the available storefront in the Center for British Art in 1975 and decided to leave his law practice and open a bookstore. Six years later, he added food and coffee, making Atticus the first bookstore-café in Connecticut. Negaro also started Chabaso Bakery, which makes bread for Atticus and for sale in stores. His son Charles Jr., who has run the businesses since 2019, has also launched a store in East Rock called Atticus Market.