After two years of construction and preparation, Well Red Second Story opened its doors to the public last week at 1150 Donahue Dr. in Auburn. The new location is an improved version of the original location with more books, a larger outdoor patio, a drive-thru and a kitchen that will allow the business to expand its offerings in the near future.

“We listened and watched a lot of our regular customers. They wanted more parking. They wanted a drive-thru… They wanted more outdoor space… They wanted all of those things. And that’s what we were thinking about with the expansion,” said co-owner Crystal Tomasello. “That’s what makes Second Story different: the fact that you have more of what you already love.”

Crystal and her husband Richard are the founders and co-owners of Well Red, which has grown rapidly since opening in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crystal said opening during the pandemic brought its challenges, but also gave them the chance to perfect many things at Well Red. Since then, Crystal said the response from the community has allowed them to continue to grow the business.

Just two years ago, two years after the first Well Red opened, the Tomasellos announced their plans for Well Red Second Story. Between announcing those plans and opening Second Story, they also moved into the downtown space that once belonged to Coffee Cat and opened The Fox.

With the original Well Red and The Fox, the Tomasellos set up shop in an existing building, while the site for Second Story was initially a vacant lot. Crystal said the opportunity to build Second Story from scratch was daunting at first, but it allowed them to realize their vision for the space.

“We’re more than grateful for that,” said Crystal. “At Well Red, we’re just bound by the space we have, but that’s what makes it so unique and gives it its charm. That’s what we love about Well Red, The Fox and Second Story: They all have their own personality and can just speak to different people.”

Crystal said she and Richard both had a particular aspect to the Second Story setup, which was the larger selection of books offered at the new location. Crystal focused on the interior design and making sure everything fit together, including Frankie Stag’s appearance at Second Story.

The biggest differences between Second Story and Well Red are in the kitchen. Crystal explained that the kitchen at Well Red only has a hotplate, microwave and oven, while the kitchen at Second Story is much larger and has new appliances like a deep fryer. It is hoped that the new kitchen can lead to an expanded menu as well as an expansion of the catering business.

Additionally, Second Story has a drive-thru, which Crystal said was a must-have when looking for the new location. At the drive-thru, guests have access to the entire Second Story menu, with the exception of the wine selection that the store has become known for. As for wine, Crystal said Second Story has a different selection of wines than Well Red.

Second Story also supports another local business by partnering with Kudzu Hill, who have created signature scented candles that are sold at Second Story.

Crystal said the name “Second Story” represents the next chapter of her vision for Well Red.

“We have a side porch right off our bedroom, and we sit out there until 9, 10, 11 at night, thinking about things, dreaming big, and constantly coming up with new names,” Crystal said. “Second Story was at the top of our list. It’s the second chapter of what we want to do. It’s a whole different story, and we can’t see what it holds.”

Looking back on the last four years, Crystal described the journey from one location to three as a whirlwind.

“It feels like we just opened, but we’ve done all of these things in four years, and this is something we never imagined. We envisioned Well Red and were happy with the one and just did our thing. But I feel like thanks to the community here in Auburn, we found something we really needed,” she said. “It’s just been a whirlwind and we’ve loved every moment of it.”

Well Red Second Story is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.