is moving from fifth and south to old city, 7 N. Second Street.

Yeah, I don't really like book trader much. The place is a wreck and their inventory seems like it's mostly from the late 80's. I am sad to see them leave south street, i'm especially irritated to hear that abercrombie & fitch are moving in there or so I heard.

I asked the clerk a couple weeks ago when they were moving and he couldn't tell me, just said not for awhile.

__________________
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. - H.L. Mencken

What is the DEAL with places like that? Couldn't they make a lot more money if they just, say, put the books on the shelves and cleaned up a bit? There are stores like this all over and I don't know how they stay in business.

Is this a city thing, a Philly thing, or what?

__________________
Monica

never been there. is it used? i've been to used ones like that and you just asked. they are usually one or two people operations who love books and due to the fact they don;t charge a lot, have to pack their store to the gills to have a good selection instead of paying more for rent.

Owner Peter Hiler passion is books. I always loved the Book Trader, with the shelves packed to the rim, books all around, comfortable and uncomfortable chairs, cats lying at your feet (and I'm allergic to them), great big windows with a fantastic view of south street all the way down to Jim's Steaks. The Book Trader wasn't the place to go to find the latest edition of something, it was the place to go to experience a lazy afternoon of adventure and find a book you never knew existed.

__________________
Philly Chit Chat
www.PhillyChitChat.com/

I agree with HughE. I love the clutter. The random selection. You don't go there to find a specific book. You go there to read random things and maybe buy something, maybe not.

__________________
Jason
Lynn Swann 06'

"Individualism is absent when other peoples' standards, not reality and reason, are ones primary guide."

I guess that's why abercrombie is moving in ... everyone was staring at the cats and enjoying the clutter but not buying any books. Yeah it was cool to get spooked by some cat laying in the sun but it would have been cooler if I also found a book I wanted and Abercrombie wasn't moving across the street from the gap.

This is a good opportunity to get their books in order, and if you love books you don't let your customers walk on them with muddy, snowy shoes as i've witnessed on several occassions. I only say all of this because there really seems to be a lack of good independent book stores in Philly. There aren't even alot of the mega stores.

__________________
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. - H.L. Mencken

there are a lack of good indy bookstores everywhere being put out of biz by yoru "megastores." there are a good number of thsoe in my neck of the woods. I go to Robin's and the used book guy on south tenth. there is another robin's on shestnut. the simple fact is, if it is a used book dealer or trader, you aren't going to get a fancy store. most people who buy used books aren't as picky and enjoy talking about books. most people who don;t fit that category frequent the bn ro borders anyways. there are a few indy bookstores but like most things in philly, you have to look.

The Independent bookstores aren't moving out or closing because people are walking on the books, or because the stores aren't as sterile as you'd like them to be. No I think the problem is that a chain store was willing to spend more money (rent) in a established location where a Mom and Pop (book trader) store risked everything as a start up business 28 years ago in a dicey area!!

__________________
Philly Chit Chat
www.PhillyChitChat.com/

I agree I hate going to mega book stores and suprisingly they rarely have what i'm looking for anyway. I do like just sitting in a bookstore for hours and seeing what there is to see, books wise anyway. When I left NY I knew i'd miss the strand until I found Powells in Portland. Now nothing not even the megas can compare to Powells. I'd kill for a Powells technical book store here at least. Was there a mega indy book store in Philly ever? Searching for indy philly book stores on the web d/n reveal anything i've not come across yet.

__________________
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. - H.L. Mencken