Treat yo shelf to a new book from these charming local bookstores
There are many iconic authors who were born in Philly; Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Buzz Bissinger, Madeline Miller, and so many more. These authors have made Philly a rich center for literature and independent bookstores. As Helene Hanff, a Philadelphian author wrote “standing there, staring at the long shelves crammed with books, I felt myself relax and was suddenly at peace.” Here are some cozy, local bookstores for you to visit to find your next read and to support a local business.
1. Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room
Proclaimed at the “oldest and very best LGBTG and feminist bookstore in the country”, this independent bookstore specializes in LGBTQ fiction. Gay and lesbian literature is important to the LGBTQ+ community and this store has 7,000 books on their shelves and 48,000 in their database, indeed “Giovanni’s Room stocks thousands more lesbian and gay books than the biggest superstore.” By supporting this local business, you will also be supporting and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community of Philly!
2. The Book Trader
Celebrating 40 years of business, this book store is open every day of the year (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. As their store name entails it, they will trade their books for yours, and give 10-20% of the original sales price of the books to store credit. A cool and bargain way to get new books, don’t you think? Visit this sweet store at 7 N 2nd Street.
3. Joseph Fox Bookstore
Established in 1951 as a family-owned bookstore, Joseph Fox Bookstore has a huge collection of new and old books in his cute store at 1724 Sansom Street. They have partnered with Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia to encourage families to read aloud together and reinforce the importance of books in the child care systems. You can buy a book that will be donated to the cause online or in-store. What a wholesome bookstore with a heart-warming mission.
4. A Novel Idea
Newlywed owners Alexander Schneider and Christina Rosso-Schneider, have created this bookstore with the goal to “foster a space of diversity and inclusivity, and want to help our customers fall in love with books, either for the first time or the millionth.” They host special community events (online for now) where you can meet authors, participate in open mics, and even take Sabbat classes for Pageans and Wiccans.
5. Neighborhood Books
This center city bookstore sells exclusively used books in good condition. According to their websites, they have a lot of humanities books on display as well as fiction and classic literature. Located between many Health Care centers, hospitals, and densities offices, they have a collection of science books, psychology books, and textbooks from the medical students that work in the neighborhood.
[Features image: @anovelideaphilly / Instagram]