Connecticut’s Smallest Town Has One Restaurant That Gives Away Books

I live in Danbury, CT which is a small city with over 80,000 people.

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Danbury High School has roughly 3,300 kids in the student body according to US News & World Report. That means that Danbury High has almost 5 times the amount of people as Connecticut's smallest town.

According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health: Union, Connecticut is the smallest town in the state with just 793 residents.

That is 793 humans, I've seen more people in line at the Hat City Starbucks.

Where does a person eat in a Town like Union? Are there restaurants? I was able to find at least one called "The Traveler Restaurant" which not only serves American fare but gives away books. There is a giant yellow sign outside that says "Food and Books."

One reviewer wrote this on "The Traveler" Facebook Page:

"My husband and I stopped in for the first time today. What a cool place!!! Very cozy and charming. Food was excellent. Service was great. And so fun to peruse the books that are offered for free to each guest. Cannot wait to go back." 

I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that they give books away. I called the restaurant at around lunchtime on a Tuesday and there was no answer so I had to dig a bit more and learned that they do.

According to Atlas Obsucura:

In front of this restaurant tucked on the border of Massachusetts and Connecticut there’s a sign reading Food and Books. And, of course, at any restaurant there’s going to be food, but be prepared for the books. With each purchase, customers are invited to take home any book in the restaurant’s impressive collection. They give away an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 books each week to hungry bookworms. 

The walls of the Traveler Restaurant in Union are lined with books. On the shelves edging the tables are westerns, cookbooks, pulpy paperbacks, children’s books, and romance novels. The vibe is decidedly comfortable diner meets community book sale. Owner Marty Doyle, an avid reader, started bringing books into his restaurant in the mid-1980s as a way to thin his oversized collection and find new homes for old books. Now, after finishing a meal, diners take time to wander the stacks looking for their perfect new read.

Here are some Fun Facts About Union, CT:

• Union was the last town to be settled East of the Connecticut River.
• In 1756, the first census was conducted in Connecticut and it determined that Union had 500 people. That is correct, there were 500 in 1756 and there are 800 today.
• During the 19th Century "Lumbering" was the leading industry in town.
• Union also produced shoes and axe handles in the 19th Century.
• The earliest settler was James McNall who arrived in Union in 1727.

So how does Connecticut's smallest town compare? According to a 2023 report from WTNH, the largest town by population in Connecticut is Bridgeport with 148,333 people.

Union sounds like a place I need to visit, less people means less aggravation.