Dear supporters of PBC,

Happy summer! Here is an exciting update about the bookstore.

Thank you for your crucial support. Without your organizing work, protesting, petition-signing, and book-buying, the doors of PBC would be closed by now. One happy outcome of the SAVE PBC campaign: two English PhDs who are indie bookstore lovers followed the story closely from out-of-state (Alabama!) and wanted to help. They reached out to PBC, and over the past couple months have been working with the current owners to keep the store alive.

Recently, Matt Duquès and Diana Bellonby moved to Philly, and they are now finalizing negotiations with Penn to become the new proprietors. With the blessing and help of the current owners Michael and Ashley, they are together working toward a smooth transition, and re-envisioning a sustainable future for the store.

They will continue to need our help going forward. Right now, we have a fun challenge. What new name could help differentiate the store from its corporate bookselling neighbor down the way? A fact that many have acknowledged: the name Penn Book Center, though historic, is both a blessing and a curse. A new name will clarify the store’s independence, while also helping to resuscitate it. They would like to involve the store’s loyal supporters in the re-naming process.

Vote on the new name here! 

Join the mailing list if you're not already on it.

Thank you again, and stop by the store to say hi and do some summer book browsing!  Matt & Diana say: "Please check out our upcoming events and reach out to us if there's a particular author you'd like to see at the store."