Michelle “Shelle” Yusuf opened the Ink Drinker in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood last October. | Photo courtesy of Michelle Yusuf
Michelle “Shelle” Yusuf created the bar she wanted to hang out in.
Yusuf opened the Ink Drinker in Ballard last October in a space formerly occupied by Ballard Beer Co. With its dark blue walls, tall bookshelves, black leather chairs and even a retail book section, it looks more like a stylish Ivy-league library than a drinking establishment. Notably absent are television screens.
Yusuf drew on her love of reading and self-described introverted nature to create the bar, noting that, in a city famous for its bustling coffee shops and vibrant craft breweries, finding a quiet corner to read after sunset can pose challenges.
“Coffee shops close early,” she says. “If you’re a nine-to-fiver and you want to go read somewhere, what do you do? I wanted a space that centers on reading, where you don’t feel like you stick out if you pick up a book.”
The inspiration behind the Ink Drinker grew out of both personal loss and a simple desire for connection. Following the deaths of her mother, father and grandparents, Yusuf, a web developer, enrolled at North Seattle College during the pandemic to pursue a degree in business. She graduated in 2022.
The Ink Drinker is more reminiscent of an Ivy League library than a cocktail bar. | Photo courtesy of Michelle Yusuf
WHERE HOSPITALITY MEETS ACADEMIA
Using an inheritance, she then set out to bootstrap a business model that married hospitality with her love for books. Taking cues from concepts such as the Silent Book Club and Hotel Sorrento’s fireside reading nights, Yusuf wanted a sanctuary that didn’t require absolute silence but created a calm atmosphere. The result is a warm space with deep green and maroon accents, customized cherry wood tables and shelves lined with curated books.
Building out the full-service kitchen and navigating permitting regulations required a six-figure investment, but the bar has enjoyed a steady audience from day one. Crowds lined the block on opening night, and the bar hosts numerous book clubs and other gatherings.
The Ink Drinker’s intriguing name came about by accident.
Yusuf was first going to call it “The Bookworm,” but surmised that using the word “worm” might be unappealing in a drinking and eating establishment. She then heard — incorrectly — that bookworms in France are called “ink drinkers.” She liked the name anyway and decided to keep it.
Yusuf’s true measure of success isn’t rapid expansion, but simply on creating a reliable space for regulars to gather, unwind and step away from their screens.
“I love looking out and seeing people hunched over their books. I see older couples reading together. I love that,” she says. “It’s about taking some analog time for yourself and feeling comfortable while doing it.”