Manifesting Philadelphia’s future at the Bookstore Crawl: Join us to make your mark

The staying power of books means that even 250 years from now, Philly will likely still have bookstores. 

What will the city look like for these future shops? No one knows for sure, but we can influence the answer.

Stop by Technical.ly’s pop-up this Saturday during the second annual Philadelphia Bookstore Crawl to help create a collective vision statement for the city a quarter-millennium in the future. 

We’ll be at American Grammar on Front Street for the duration of the bookstore crawl on Aug. 26. The Fishtown cafe-slash-bookshop is one of more than 30 participating locations in this year’s event, which is returning after its super-successful inaugural edition. 

The push to manifest your own future is usually directed at individuals. Whether you want a better career, a new job, a bigger house or a successful company, just putting the idea out there is an important first step, coaches and experts say. In honor of the forthcoming US semiquincentennial celebration, we’re making the effort citywide.

No worries about writer’s block here: There’s a solid draft for you to work on already. 

Framed to present an optimistic answer to “What will Philadelphia look like in 250 years?” the draft statement was crafted after a few in-person stakeholder meetings we held last year. We’re now seeking more input.

At our table at the 2nd Street Festival in early August, over four dozen people contributed edits or gave feedback. 

Suggestions ranged from the pragmatic to the optimistic.

“Renewable energy from the Schuylkill,” wrote one person. “Fully funded libraries open 9 to 9 every day,” wrote another. “Efficient government! Less bureaucracy,” offered a third. “Where 100% of adults vote,” added a fourth. “Go Birds! 100x Super Bowl champions,” said a truly aspirational participant.

Reviewing all this, one person was sold. “I would live here!” they wrote on the board, capping the comment with a heart.

The draft 250-year vision statement will be popping up elsewhere around the city as this summer winds down, but don’t miss your chance to weigh in while also checking out the heartening plethora of bookstores in the region.

Choose your own adventure, from comics to vinyl

There’s no formal bookstore crawl route, so to plan your itinerary, check out the list below, or use the PamPam map, a mobile-friendly trip planner from a South Philly startup launched in 2023. 

There are comic book havens like Brave New Worlds and Multiverse, Black-owned shops like Uncle Bobbie’s and Harriett’s Bookshop, spots that sell vinyl like Giovanni’s Room and Molly’s Books & Records, and so many more. Destinations are spread literally all over the city, as well as a few in the suburbs.

Each bookstore offers something special, from discounts to giveaways of tote bags, books and free ice cream. Some are hosting musical performances, author talks and book signings.

At American Grammar, where Technical.ly will post up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the morning kicks off with a publishing industry AMA. The event features editors, publishers and agents, including crawl co-organizer Eric Smith of P.S. Literary, a longtime Technical.ly friend who formerly co-ran Geekadelphia and the Philly Geek Awards.

All of this is come as you are, so if you’re in the neighborhood, stop by. All you need to bring is a curious mind, a love of great bookstores and a desire to help shape Philly’s future.

Philadelphia Bookstore Crawl 

Shops are listed in alphabetical order 

📘A Novel Idea
1726 E. Passyunk Ave.

Four-author book signing + giveaways

📘American Grammar
2046 N. Front St.

Publishing industry AMA with agents + editors at 10 a.m.
Manifesting Philly’s future with Technical.ly

📘Big Blue Marble
551 Carpenter Ln.

Picture book + kid-lit giveaway while supplies last

📘Binding Agents
908 Christian St.

Enjoy a sneak peek of the shop

📘Bindlestiff Books
4530 Baltimore Ave.

📘Booked
8511 Germantown Ave.

Chestnut Hill breakfast + more

📘Brave New Worlds
55 N. 2nd St.

Book signing with Jadzia Axelrod

📘Bristol Books + Bindery
129 Mill St., Bristol

Wine tasting and clothing discounts

📘Capricorn Books
605 West Ave., Jenkintown

Laura Piper Lee signing

📘Children’s Book World
17 Haverford Station Rd., Haverford

Meet Pete the Cat and get ice cream

📘Du Bois-Robeson People’s Center
4515 Baltimore Ave.

Virtual chat with Melissa Ford

📘Garland of Letters
527 South St.

10% discount on all books + mystery box for first 21 book buyers

📘PAT at Giovanni’s Room
345 S. 12th St.

Exclusive tote bage giveaway

📘Harriett’s Bookshop
258 E. Girard Ave.

📘Healing While Black
4111 Lancaster Ave,

Cookbook giveaway + more

📘H&H Books
2230 Frankford Ave.

An Evening with Jiordan Castle, Alina Pleskova, Eshani Surya, and Joseph Earl Thomas

📘Head House Books
619 S. 2nd St.

Readings with Emma Copley Eisenberg, Eshani Surya and Alyssa Songsiridej

📘Hilltop Books
84 Bethlehem Pike

Mystery + thriller book giveaway

📘House of Our Own Books
3920 Spruce St.

📘Iffy Books
404 S. 20th St.

📘Inkwood Books
106 Kings Hwy. E., Haddonfield, NJ

Meet Gail Priest + Shveta Thakrar

📘Julia de Burgos Bookstore
2600 N. 5th St.

📘The Last Word Bookshop
220 S. 40th St.

📘Lot 49
408 E. Girard Ave.

📘Main Point Books
116 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne

Philly Bookstore Crawl after party

📘Making Worlds Cooperative Bookstore & Social Center
210 S. 45th St.

📘Mavey Books
8 Cricket Ave., Ardmore

Book signings with Karen Tang, Dana Kramaroff, and Jamilah T. Bigelow

📘Miscellanea Libri
454 E. Girard Ave.

Signings with Boney Atlas and and Mercedes Osakwe

📘Molly’s Books & Records
1010 S. 9th St.

📘Mostly Books
529 Bainbridge St.

📘Multiverse
8026 Germantown Ave.

Chestnut Hill Breakfast + more

📘Narberth Bookshop
221 Haverford Ave., Narberth

📘Neighborhood Books
1906 South St.

📘Open Book Bookstore
7900 High School Rd., Elkins Park

📘Partners & Sons
618 S. 6th St.

Book crawl after concert: Michael Foster Solo (saxophonist); Victor Vieira-Branco (vibraphone) with Anne Ishii (drums) 6 to 9 p.m.; $10–$15 suggested donation at door

📘Umoja House
6338 Germantown Ave.

📘Uncle Bobbie’s
5445 Germantown Ave.

📘Wooden Shoe Books
704 South St.

Just Seeds poster giveaway