Bookstore Spotlight: Farley's Bookshop in New Hope, PA
A few weeks ago, we went apple picking with some pals up around New Hope, a cutesy town on the Delaware north of the City of Brotherly Meh. My beloved picked the hell outta some apples (I mostly wandered around staring at trees and clouds). We ate a few late raspberries, and met a very sweet kitty on the farm. Also, we had fresh apple cider donuts, which were devoured far too quickly to be photographed.
But what of the bookstore, you ask. After our apple harvest we headed into town to wander the streets. We passed by Farley's, a local shop that looks like it's been there for quite some time, which (turns out) is the case. Farley's has been here since the 70's, and they must be doing something right.
The place was hoppin' on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and its not hard to see why. The store is jam-packed with books, more books, and commentary on said books. There are lots of rooms of books, mostly divided by type…as you would expect. Poetry, fiction, history, local interest, kids…there's even a used book room in the back.
Farley's has a crusty, cranky air about it that I really liked--the antithesis of corporate sterility. The folks who work there seem to have committed to covering virtually every flat surface of the building with informative words of some sort. Calendars hang from the (lowish) ceiling. Lots of notes taped to the shelves list awards, or give a bookseller's opinion about a particular volume, or encourage demon-worship. And seriously, isn't that what indie book selling is all about? Screw those new gods and their shiny steepled shacks! All Hail Krampus!
In the fiction room, Farley's sections out both the Penguin Classics and the Dover books, which I thought was an interesting move. Most of the books are alpha by author, yet these are special. Hmm. (That fact, plus the used book room, makes me think they have some price-conscious regulars).
The kids' section was just as jammed-packed and goofily ramshackle as the rest of the shop, but there weren't any demons on the walls (that I saw), and the colors were a bit brighter. Cloud ceilings sure are popular with bookstores right now. Someone did a very fine job of getting good kids' series in the store, with a minimum of glitter vamps among the YA. Well played, Farley's. Note the prominent placement of How Rocket Learned to Read…one of the most potently adorable books to be published in the last five years. Seriously, it's weapons-grade sweet. Buy it for a young loved one if you haven't already!
Now, having been a bookseller for a bit, I can sometimes cast a jaundiced eye at other stores, viewing them from a (kinda sorta) insider perspective and getting all judgy. But the flip side of that is when I encounter a reminder of my bookish past that calls back happy memories, which is exactly what happened at Farley's. Behold…the Chronicle dump!
I actually laughed when I saw this freestanding shelf at Farley's, because it was as recognizable as an old friend you haven't seen in forever, but could identify at 100 paces. Sure, they covered the "Chronicle Books" with a homemade sign for a small press, but that is the same wonderful dump that bookstores across the country got nearly 20 years ago for one holiday season, and then kept reusing afterward. Hey, we all use the Chronic(le dump). It's cool. (In fact, back in my Schwartz days, I and fellow bookseller/roommate Carla commandeered one of Schwartz's neglected Chronicle dumps to use at our apartment. And it proved perfect for holding VHS tapes and DVDs.) Ah, memories.
All in all, Farley's is a fun maze to fall into. As a bookstore in a very shoppy, touristy town, it provides a much-needed alternative to yet another gift shop. They actively support small presses and local authors, which is a brave and wonderful thing to do. And the folks of Bucks County must appreciate it, because Farley's is still kickin', with an overflowing inventory and plenty of activity. If you're in the area, go visit! Who says bricks-and-mortar is dead? All hail Krampus!