Philadelphia Bookstore Crawl
Spend a weekend exploring Philadelphia's independent bookstores.
On a weekend trip to Philadelphia, my friend and I explored some of the city’s unique, independent bookstores. I have highlighted the stores we visited for those who would like to venture into the wonderful world of independent bookshops in Philly!
The Book Trader
7 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Entering their 49th year of business, The Book Trader is a secondhand bookstore in Philadelphia’s Old City. With multiple floors of towering shelves, you could spend hours browsing the amazing collection of used books, CDs, and records. If you keep an eye out, you may be able to spot the store cat! This shop had a great selection, a quiet atmosphere, and cozy corners to pause and read all of your precious finds from the stacks.
Brickbat Books
709 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Voted our favorite used bookstore of the crawl, Brickbat Books offers a curated selection of both new and secondhand poetry, nonfiction, and genre fiction. With new and used books mixed on the shelves, the focus is on the story behind each work rather than its cover. Brickbat also offers rare editions of various publications, which they announce acquiring on their Instagram. Low benches are provided for browsing the bottom shelves, and the knowledgeable booksellers create an inviting atmosphere. If I lived in Philly, I'd be here every weekend!
Mostly Books
529 Bainbridge Street, Philadelphia, PA
Mostly Books has been helping find homes for used books since 1997. The shop’s focus is the used book cycle, in which each person who reads a book “keeps a little part of the book with themselves before passing it on… At the same time, they send part of themselves along with their books when it is time to give them up.” Located in a converted factory building, the aisles of books seem endless and hidden gems are just waiting to be found. My friends and I did indeed lose each other amongst the shelves, and found each other again with armfuls of great finds.
Head House Books
619 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Founded in 2005, Head House Books hosts a curated collection of titles and creates an atmosphere of comfort and calm. A large portion of the shelves in the front of the store are dedicated to staff picks, featuring both new releases and beloved classics. It felt as through a new book was waiting to be discovered around each corner, and I easily took home my biggest book haul of the day from this shop. With engaging booksellers, a welcoming children’s section, and weekly events, this bookstore is a must-visit for book lovers.