Celia Bookshop, Swarthmore’s newest bookstore, opened its doors in the Ville on Oct. 4. The shop, formerly an Italian shoe store in the historic Celia Building, is owned by Beth Murray and Rachel Pastan, who are joining a revival of what they describe as “independent brick-and-mortar bookstores.” The space will host a wide range of events, including book clubs, writing workshops, author talks, and lectures by Swarthmore professors.
Located at 102 Park Avenue, the bookshop is tucked away in the Ville’s retail area. Outside the store is a chalkboard upon which the message “Now Open!” is scrawled in large cursive letters. As I walked in, I was immediately greeted by a wide variety of colors: soothing dark greens, bright oranges, and yellows. The sweet, comforting sound of “Maine,” by Noah Kahan, played. There was also a selection of scones and muffins, complete with a hot beverage section with coffee and tea, for the opening. The books displayed a diverse range of authors, from James Baldwin to Xochitl Gonzalez.
In an interview with The Phoenix, the owners talked about their background and motivations for opening the shop. Murray spent nearly twenty years as a lecturer at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Pastan has spent her career as a novelist, having published four books, and has also taught fiction writing at Swarthmore. “I was ready to do something different, and she was ready to not be a full-time novelist, and we just decided we wanted to try and do this together,” Murray said.
The pair spent the last two years conducting research, interviewing independent bookstores, and going to conferences to prepare for the opening.
Celia Bookshop boasts over 8,000 titles in its possession. Pastan explained how she chose the diverse selection of books in the store. “I started last January with a giant spreadsheet with different tabs for sci-fi, biography, cooking. I wanted to think through the categories and [choose] what would be good for the store,” she said. Pastan also worked with a book buyer friend who helped her navigate the selection process.
Murray says that the book selection is provisional. “Over time, we will learn what the local customers want. We definitely want to get more kids’ series and young adult fiction. We have a lot of people that come in, of all ages, from fifth graders to teenagers who love young author series.”
In addition to its cozy interior, the bookshop also maintains a bright and colorful exterior, with a mural currently being painted on its outside walls. “The whole town is interested in getting business owners to put murals on their buildings. After going through a process of evaluation, we chose Pepe Gaka, and he’s doing this beautiful mural on the side of the building,” Murray said.
Pepe Gaka, an Italian artist, has been commissioned to paint murals across the United States and worldwide. The finished mural will feature depictions of community members, including the daughter of Economics Professor and Department Chair Erin Bronchetti and the child of a construction worker who helped build the space.
When asked about their mission, Murray and Pastan offered different approaches. Murray hopes the space could become a third place “where people could come and mingle, and talk about ideas.”
The idea of the third place refers to sociologist Ray Oldenburg’s notion that, to live a fulfilled and balanced life, people need engagement in three areas: work, school, and third places — informal public places such as cafes, bookstores, and churches that foster social and emotional enrichment within a community.
Pastan, on the other hand, has a different mission. “The publishing industry makes a lot of the decisions about what books are going to find readers, and they put money behind those books,” she explained. “I know a lot of books that other people do not know, being part of the literary community. I want to help people find those books that otherwise might not reach a readership that would love them.”
The bookshop will also host various workshops and classes, starting with the “In Case You Missed It Series,” which aims to break down complex texts into more digestible parts to encourage literary discussions. The first part of the series begins on Oct. 28 and will entail a six-week exploration of “Anna Karenina” led by Sibelan Forrester, professor in the modern languages & literatures department at Swarthmore.
From the welcoming and vibrant atmosphere to the assortment of pastries, the soothing green walls, and the wide selection of books and authors on each shelf, Celia Bookshop is a quaint and enchanting addition to the Ville. It is a place to read for pleasure and escape, and offers solace from the pressures of everyday life.
