Publishing in Philadelphia goes back to the colonial period. Ben Franklin was, among his more famous accomplishments, a publisher. I wrote about the architecture left behind by major publishers in this post.
Today, Philadelphia has a burgeoning independent publishing community. One of those publishers, The Head & The Hand Press, opened The Head & the Hand Books at 2644 Coral St in Fishtown/East Kensington.
They are calling it a pop-up, but if demand is there it will become permanent.
One section is dedicated to local publishers and authors, and another to their own books.
The rest of the shop has books from major publishers and a children’s books corner.
While I was there they were installing a shelf for a coffee bar.
I bought three books from local presses. In addition to a book from The Head & The Hand, I got books from New Door Books and Lanternfish Press.
A few months ago I wrote about a A Novel Idea, a new bookstore in South Philadelphia that also supports Philly publishers and writers.
Book publishing and selling is making a small, but strong, comeback in Philly. If you’re a book lover, check out these stores and presses either in person or online.
That Philly Life: Urban Exploring in Philadelphia 