The third annual Philly Bookstore Crawl is back next Saturday – and is bigger than ever.
The self-guided tour features more than 40 Philly and Philly-area bookstores hosting authors, events and discounted prices on Saturday, Aug. 23.
The crawl’s organizer, Eric Smith, said the event has seen incredible success the last few years and already is changing Philly’s book landscape.
“I like that the event is making Philly something of a fun, bookish destination — because it is one,” he said.
Smith initially left Philly in 2014, when he and his wife moved to Richmond, Va., and Ann Arbor, Mich. One thing he loved: both cities had big book crawls that were “huge celebrations of these bookstores.”
He envisioned creating something similar in Philly if he ever moved back.
“There’s, like, 50 bookstores within driving distance of Center City, there should be something like this there,” he said.
The couple returned to Philly right before the pandemic, and the next few years were not a good time to launch an out-and-about event. When the lockdown ended, he saw that bookstores were asking for community support, or posting on GoFundMe to raise money to rebuild their businesses.
It seemed like the perfect time to support bookstore owners, he said.
“This is the time for something like this to remind folks, as we’re sort of emerging again, that indie bookstores are this great community space and we want to keep them here,” he said.
Smith said the last two bookstore crawls were a “wild success,” and that this year’s will be even more exciting.
“I think one of the big highlights is M.L. Rio, who is a New York Times bestseller of If We Were Villains and then Graveyard Shift and a bunch of really wonderful books,” he said. “She is doing a sneak peek of her next book over at The Head and The Hand.”
He also highlighted The Doylestown Bookshop, which will be doing a local authors expo; The Book Lovers Breakfast, where Chestnut Hill bookstores will partner with nearby cafes for discounted food that readers can grab in between shopping; and Molly’s Books and Records, which will host popular author and guitarist Elijah Wald for a book signing and performance.
Other organizations, such as Philadelphia Stories, will visit bookstores and pick up guests in cities like Wayne and Lancaster.
Below is a list of the full lineup for next weekend. (A “*” symbol indicates the shops are accessible.)
List:
Highlights: Indie bookstore and press with discounts on books they publish, including two volumes of their popular Anthropomorphic Japan series of vintage illustrations, and a giveaway of copies of their in-house zine.
Address: 15 W. Highland Ave. F, Philadelphia PA 19118
Highlights: Book-signing event with four local authors and temporary tattoo giveaway.
Accessibility note: Front of the building is accessible, two steps in the back of the shop.
Address: 1726 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia PA 19148
Highlights: Coffee and giveaways.
Address: 2046 N. Front St., Philadelphia, PA 19122
Highlights: Book and magazine discounts, Tang’s Bakery pop-up, raffle for a book and a set of Coca-Cola collectibles.
Address: 612 S. 6th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Highlights: Local author book signing and chat.
Address: 551 Carpenter Ln., Philadelphia, PA 19119
Highlights: Prizes, giveaways, cookbook sales and baked treats.
Address: 908 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Highlights: Giveaways from noon to 7 p.m.
Address: 4530 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143
Highlights: Discounts and Book Lover’s Breakfast special at nearby Chestnut Hill cafes.
Address: 8511 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118
Highlights: Deals, open-mic night and a kids book reading.
Address: 11 E. State St., Media, PA 19063
Address: 55 N 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
Highlights: Author Christy Schillig’s book signing, totebag and book giveaways.
Address: 915 N 28th St., Suite 1C Philadelphia, PA 19130
Accessibility note: This is an older building with tight spacing.
Address: 129 Mill St., Bristol, PA 19007
Highlights: Various author meet-and-greets and signings throughout the day.
Address: 605 West Ave., Jenkintown, PA 19046
Highlights: Book giveaways and a bookstore crawl carnival, with free popcorn, hot dogs and carnival games.
Address: 17 Haverford Station Rd., Haverford, PA 19041
Highlights: Free totebags and romance novels, while supplies last.
Address: 106 Grape St., Philadelphia, PA 19127
Highlights: Local author expo and writer meetup.
Address: 16 S. Main St., Doylestown, PA 18901
Du Bois-Robeson People’s Center
Highlights: Social justice-focused community center open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for book browsing and shopping.
Address: 4515 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143
Address: 527 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Philly Aids Thrift at Giovanni’s Room
Highlights: South Street Art Mall table and Last Drop Coffeehouse discounts for purchasing customers.
Address: 345 S. 12th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
Address: 258 E. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125
Address: 4111 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
Highlights: Four author visits, including M.L. Rio, Tre Johnson, Eshani Surya and R. Eric Thomas.
Address: 2230 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125
Address: 619 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Highlights: Sidewalk sale with discount books and Book Lover’s Breakfast at nearby cafes in Chestnut Hill. Joint event from 9 to 10:15 a.m. with Anne Lambelet, Andrea Denish and Sia Dempster Willie.
Address: 84 Bethlehem Pike, Philadelphia PA 19118
Address: 3920 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104
Highlights: Spinning wheel with prizes such as free stickers, discounts and more. Free mystery grab bags with books and book-related items. Author signing featuring local authors W.A. Simpson and Connie Matsumoto.
Address: 419 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801
Highlights: Tiny zines and tiny tools event.
Address: 404 S. 20th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
Address: 106 Kings Hwy E., Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Address: 220 S. 40th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104
Highlights: Free books and arcs, and other giveaways while supplies last.
Address: 2600 N. 5th St., Philadelphia, PA 19133
Highlights: Afterparty to celebrate the end of the day, including a launch of Jeff Bogle’s latest book.
Accessibility note: The main floor is completely ADA accessible to all, including the restrooms. The lower level is accessible to most. Ask at the counter for help with access questions.
Address: 116 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne, PA 19087
Making Worlds Cooperative Bookstore & Social Center*
Address: 210 S. 45th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104
Highlights: Giveaways, scavenger hunts and more.
Address: 8 Cricket Ave., Ardmore, PA 19003
Highlights: Special reading of The Philly ABCs by local author Christopher Wink.
Address: 2029 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125
Address: 454 E. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125
Highlights: Tables of book bargains and Elijah Wald music set and talk in the evening.
Address: 1010 S. 9th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Address: 529 Bainbridge St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Highlights: 20-40% discounts throughout the store on books, and a $10 breakfast sandwich-and-coffee/tea deal at Baker Street Bread and Café.
Address: 8026 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118
Address: 221 Haverford Ave., Narberth, PA 19072
Address: 1906 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19146
Address: 7900 High School Rd., Elkins Park, PA 19027
Highlights: Discounted books.
Address: 618 S. 6th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Professor Readzalot’s Used Books
Address: 2637 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19133
Highlights: Bookstore plinko and prizes.
Address: 234 Bridge St., Phoenixville, PA 19460
Highlights: Refreshments, photobooth, sales and an artist drawing 10-minute portraits. Information about supporting youth literacy in Norristown.
Address: 208 Cherry St., Norristown, PA 19401
Address: 5445 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144
Highlights: Giveaways including buttons, posters and adult coloring books.
Address: 704 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147