Celia Bookshop, an all-ages, general-interest bookstore, will open in Swarthmore, Pa., this coming Saturday, October 4. Located at 102 Park Ave., the bookstore will carry a wide assortment of fiction and nonfiction, including novels, memoirs, history, poetry, and gardening, and will feature a sizable children's area.
Founders Beth Murray and Rachel Pastan plan to host author talks, book clubs, writing workshops, storytime sessions, and even courses taught by Swarthmore College professors--the first such course, on Anna Karenina, will begin on October 28. Additionally, the bookstore will have a self-service coffee station as well as cafe-style tables and cozy nooks where customers can work, read, and relax.
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| Rachel Pastan and Beth Murray | |
"Swarthmore has a vibrant community of readers and writers," said Murray, who has purchased the building at 102 Park Ave. and will live upstairs. "We want everyone to feel at home here--whether they're hunting for their next favorite read, joining a conversation, or just pausing to recharge."
"Our hope is that Celia Bookshop is a place where readers find new authors they love, and where some lesser-known books find new readers to love them," said Pastan, who is the store's manager.
Murray and Pastan named the bookstore after Joseph Celia, an Italian immigrant who built the building in which the store resides and operated a shoemaking business there for more than 50 years. The bookstore has a mascot named Celia, who's wearing a pair of old-fashioned shoes, and a mural by Italian artist Pepe Gaka adorns one of the building's walls.
Celia Bookshop's grand opening on Saturday will include live painting by Pepe Gaka, giveaways, refreshments, and a champagne toast.