A Novel Idea.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
F E AT U R E D I N D I E B OO K S TO R E
BACKGROUND INFO ABOUT YOURSELF AND A NOVEL IDEA ANI: A Novel Idea is a community-minded bookstore and event space with a focus on local authors and artisans. We have curated a cozy bookshop with approximately 3000 titles, ranging from literary fiction and fantasy to small press and children's literature. We are a small, two-person husband and wife team who are passionate about books, community, and everything Philadelphia. Every title in the shop is handpicked by us! The bookstore is our first business together (we got married in October 2018, just six weeks before we opened A Novel Idea). We make up the two halves of A Novel Idea--Alexander bringing over a decade of graphic design experience to the shop, and Christina, as a writer and open mic host, her experience and dedication to literary events in support of Philadelphia artists. Christina is also an author of two books, Creole Conjure and She is a Beast. She even teaches writing and occult-based workshops 98
A P R I L / M AY 2 0 2 2
through the store! Before we opened, there hadn't been a bookstore in Passyunk for over a decade, and wasn't another bookstore for a mile and a half, which is really far in the city. We regularly hear from folks that they had been dreaming of a bookstore in the area for years. We built a bookstore with this mission of reflecting the community’s interests, while also supporting them. One way we do this is through our Philadelphia Author and Small Press sections. We want to help our customers fall in love with books, either for the first time or the millionth. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO OPEN A BOOKSTORE? ANI: The idea for the bookstore grew out of frustration regarding where we were with our jobs. Christina was an adjunct writing professor in the Greater Philadelphia area, and Alex was working as a freelance
