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An Exciting New Chapter Unfolds in the Business District with Three New Bookstores in Downtown Scranton
“I do believe something very magical can happens when you read a book.” ― J.K. Rowling
We couldn’t agree more with author J.K. Rowling’s sentiments! If you love to read as much as we do, a trip to Downtown Scranton must include visits to three book shops in the business district: Pigeon Post Art & Books, Lost & Found Bookshop, and Friendly Alien Books.
All three shops opened brick-and-mortar stores within the past year. With distinct and unique offerings, these independent bookshops are giving book lovers the chance to experience browsing through titles in quaint, brick-and-mortar settings. It’s every book lover’s dream, right here in our own back yard!
Pigeon Post Art & Books
A small shop full of unique treasures
Artist Alex Tomlinson founded Pigeon Post Art & Books in 2022 as an online shop. The brick-and-mortar art and book shop opened at 326 Biden Street in October 2024. Offering a mix of homewares, artwork, books and stationery, Pigeon Post is full of unique treasures. “All of the items we stock are things we love to use ourselves, pieces our friends or local artists have made, and other makers we admire from around the world,” said Kelsey Mitchell, who runs the shop with Tomlinson. “The shop is truly a reflection of our interests; a mixture of modern with some vintage touches, charming, nature-oriented, and cozy.”
When it was time to expand from an online shop to a physical location last year, Tomlinson and Mitchell turned to downtown Scranton. “Alex had many fond memories of being a kid hanging out downtown during First Fridays,” Mitchell said. “There is a lot of creative energy in this city and we wanted to be a part of that. We really fell in love with our space when we first saw it. Alex knew it as the Vintage Theater in his youth. It was the perfect combination of gallery space, historic building, and it had such lovely light. We agreed that we would regret it more if we didn’t try.”
In addition to an online following, Pigeon Post Art & Books is now part of a thriving downtown community. “There are so many wonderful businesses and creatives making really thoughtful and interesting work,” Mitchell said. “Everyone is supportive of each other and so unique. We love meeting new people and talking about art, design, and birds of course!”
Book it!
Pigeon Post Art & Books regularly hosts First Friday exhibitions, artist markets and workshops. First Friday in September will feature artists Jordan Delzell and Hannah Perry with entertainment by DJ duo Cowgirl Pills. Later in the month, the shop will host a collage workshop with Joanna Wallace.
Follow their story
For updates on promotions and events, follow @pigeonpostpa on Instagram.
Lost & Found Bookshop LLC
A vision realized
Lost & Found Bookshop at 628 Biden Street opened in October 2024. “I wanted to build the kind of bookstore I would’ve loved to visit as a kid growing up here,” said Kaylee Magda, owner of Lost & Found Bookshop. “Since opening, the support from the community has been welcoming and amazing.”
True to her vision, Magda has created a cozy space with used and new books for readers of all ages. “The shop has stacks of fiction, fantasy, romance, non-fiction, mysteries and thrillers to explore with new books coming in every week. There’s also a children’s room, local author table, handmade vendors, and other bookish goods to browse,” she said. While perusing the shelves shoppers will also discover the Museum of Lost Bookmarks, a growing display of all the bookmarks found in the pages of secondhand books.
Magda said literary fiction and thrillers tend to be the most popular genres, but people also visit the shop for classics, memoirs, romance, and books by local authors. “One of our most popular features is Blind Date with a Book. Books are wrapped in brown paper with a ticket on the front that reveals a few clues about the characters and plot. Customers seem to really enjoy reading the hints until one jumps out at them — and I’m constantly restocking them!” she said.
Book it!
The calendar of events is filling up quickly at Lost & Found Bookshop! During First Friday in September, the shop will host local author David Hess to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of his book, Ambush. In October, enjoy a meet-and-greet book signing event with Tiffany Yu, a New York Times bestselling author and disability advocate, in honor of the one-year anniversary of the release of Yu’s book, The Anti-Ableist Manifesto.
Follow their story
For updates on promotions and events, follow Lost & Found Bookshop on social media.
Friendly Alien Books
A little bit of everything
Don’t be fooled by this shop’s name! Friendly Alien Books at 111 Wyoming Avenue offers a curated selection of titles in various genres. As you would expect, the shop does have plenty of sci-fi and fantasy books on the shelves, but you’ll also find thrillers, horror, contemporary fiction, literary fiction, romance, non-fiction, memoirs, history, politics, travel, cooking, and children’s and young adult books.
Opening a bookstore has been a longtime dream for Brigid Lawrence, who felt a huge void when Anthology on Center Street closed in 2011. ”I would spend First Fridays going downtown with my friends when we were teenagers,” she said. “We would walk to all the galleries, and we would always end up at the Anthology. When it closed, it was really heartbreaking.” For years, she wished books would make a comeback in downtown Scranton. During a period of reflection after the pandemic, she and her husband decided the time was right to open a bookstore.
Today, she is excited to be part of a growing community of independent bookstores in the business district. We all offer something a little different,” she said. “It’s a great community that I feel so lucky to be a part of ― as a shop owner and also as a customer ― in downtown Scranton. There are so many wonderful places to shop.”
If it’s time to make room for new titles on your shelves at home, check out Friendly Alien’s trade-in program. Trade a small bag of gently used books to receive $1 off any new title and 5 percent off non-book merchandise.
Book it!
Friendly Alien Books has a full schedule of upcoming events planned for the fall. During First Friday in September, the shop will feature a photography exhibit, mobile coffee cart, and vendors.
On Sept. 27, at 1 p.m., Friendly Alien will host “Beyond the Page: Conversation with Margot Douaihy” as part of Scranton Fringe Festival. Douaihy is the author of the mysteries Scorched Grace and Blessed Water (Gillian Flynn Books/Zando) which were both named a New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year (2023 and 2024).
October’s First Friday event will feature a literary open mic as part of Scranton Fringe Festival.
Follow their story
For updates on promotions and events, follow Friendly Alien Books @friendlyalienbooks on Instagram.
Learn More About Scranton Tomorrow
To learn more about all that Downtown Scranton has to offer, be sure to follow Scranton Tomorrow on social media and visit our website.
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