The Pandemic had a devastating effect on the book trade in Philadelphia. Over the last two years, the city has lost some of its oldest and most beloved bookshops. I was heartened however to discover that the city’s surviving booksellers have created an excellent map to many of Philly’s most interesting bookstores.

“The Philadelphia Bookstore Map is a collective effort of booksellers, booklovers, and The City of Philadelphia to spread the word about our abundance of bookstores.

50,000 paper maps have been printed to be distributed free in bookstores, cafes, libraries, visitors’ centers and other hubs around the city.

We hope you keep this map tucked away in your personal library or hang it on your wall, both as reference and to celebrate our 46 bricks-and-mortar shops. Please support those who’ve created space for readers to browse, chat, and buy books in the real world!

All of our artwork was created by Henry Crane. Henry Crane is an artist, illustrator, fabricator living in Philadelphia. He has worked under renowned muralists and installation artists and has done freelance display fabrication for high-end retail stores. In addition, he has created a wide range of illustrations for graphic novels, concert posters, and album covers. To see more of his work, click here!”