SCRANTON — Brigid Lawrence enjoyed trips to Anthology Books in the city and aims to provide a similar experience through her new business — Friendly Alien Books.
Lawrence, who considers herself a lifelong reader, held a grand opening for the shop at 111 Wyoming Ave. on June 6 and has been encouraged by the community’s response.
“It was overwhelming in the best way possible,” she said. “Everyone seems very excited and we got great feedback.”
When Anthology on Center Street closed in 2011, Lawrence noted it left many avid readers without a go-to spot for books.
“When I was younger, I spent many First Fridays there,” said Lawrence, 31. “I really loved it and I felt the city was missing it. My husband (Mikey) and I always talked about how someone really needed to bring a bookstore back to Scranton. About two years ago, I sat him down and said, ‘I really want to try to bring this back.’ ”
Lawrence wasn’t the only one with plans to bring an independent bookstore to downtown Scranton.
Scranton residents Alex Tomlinson and Kelsey Mitchell opened Pigeon Post Art & Books, 326 Biden St., in October, and Kaylee Magda held a soft opening for Lost & Found Bookshop, 628 Biden St., earlier this month.
Tomlinson originally launched Pigeon Post as an online store showcasing his artwork more than three years ago and substantial growth led to the brick-and-mortar store.
Additionally, Stacy Hovan opened The Little Book Place on Bridge Street in Tunkhannock in October, and Known Grove Books expanded to a larger space in Honesdale.
“There seems to be a revival — not just in the city, but in the area, which is very inspiring,” Lawrence said. “I’m happy to be part of this change in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
Lawrence believes several factors have led to the resurgence of reading throughout the region.
“I think the pandemic played into it a little bit and I think it’s a little bit of an escape to get away from technology,” she said. “And people are building a community around it — there are groups on every social media platform.”
Liz Baldi, business development director for Scranton Tomorrow, a nonprofit community and economic development organization, sees an opportunity for all three bookstores to thrive.
“We’re kind of going back in time to a true mom-and-pop culture downtown,” she said. “The need for mom-and-pop bookstores is there … people are very interested in frequenting them. They’re all specialty stores that are filling a need, and they each have their own audience and customer base.”
While Lawrence has recently been drawn more toward sci-fi and fantasy books, she aims to remain well-versed in all genres.
“I love horror and a great memoir, too, and I also try to read as much nonfiction as I can,” Lawrence said. “I’m trying to have a little bit of everything here, so I also try to read that way.”
The shop features a comfy couch and chairs and books to suit all audiences. While the store primarily sells new books, used selections are also available.
“The goal is to be a part of this community,” Lawrence said. “I’ve lived here my whole life and I want to be able to offer people a place to grab a good book at a variety of price points. It’s a space where you can pick up a book and sit and read for a little bit.”
The Jermyn resident credits the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center’s StartUp program for helping her open the shop.
“It’s a great asset,” Lawrence said. “I don’t have a business background so it really helped me figure out some of the logistical things. It was also helpful in building a community of other people going through (the process).”
Nicole Shapiro, 30, of South Abington Twp., perused the shelves Wednesday afternoon and left with a book.
Shapiro — who works in the Lackawanna County government center on the same block — loves the vibe and convenience of the new location.
“I think we need more local, independent bookstores,” she said. “It’s very cozy and it’s nice to just pop over on my lunch. It’s a great addition to the downtown.”
Magda, 24, of Binghamton, New York, originally of Scranton, found inspiration to open Lost & Found following grueling days on the job in a hospital.
“I’ve been working as an emergency room nurse for the past two years,” she said. “I love that job, but it’s very draining. Working there, I kind of rediscovered the joy of reading to sort of fill my cup back up at the end of the day. We primarily sell used books and I felt like there was a hole in Scranton for a used book shop.”
Amid hectic days, Magda feels customers are turning to books to find some balance in their daily routine.
“I think a lot of people are looking to sort of return to a slower, more mindful lifestyle,” she said. “We did a soft opening and there was amazing feedback from the community.”
The used books range in price from $3 to $8, Magda said.
“I want it to be affordable — it’s like the price of a cup of coffee from Starbucks,” she said. “I want people to come in and leave with a book.”
Magda also developed a love of reading at a young age and aims to help children fall in love with books.
“My mom and grandmother made sure I had a library card as soon as I could sign my name on the back of it,” she said. “I’m so happy to be able to carry some of those books here as recommendations.”
Magda appreciates the support from fellow downtown retailers — especially the two other female bookstore owners — as she embarks on the new journey.
“Every business has been so welcoming and willing to help,” she said. “I met Kelsey from Pigeon Post and Brigid from Friendly Alien and they’re absolutely wonderful. I think we’re really excited that we now sort of have a book community. I hope we get to collaborate on some things in the future.”
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Kaylee Magda, owner of Lost and Found Bookshop, inside the new business on Biden Street in downtown Scranton Thursday morning. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)
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Kaylee Magda, owner of Lost and Found Bookshop, inside the new business on Biden Street in downtown Scranton Thursday morning. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)
