Glenside Book Garden is coming this fall to 10 E Glenside Avenue, the former location of Farmers Insurance.

The new living-room style bookshop will offer curated selections of classics, favorites, and current bestsellers, author events, themed days, and local business collaborations.

Owner and Glenside native Shawn Pistorino said she hopes to be up and running by Halloween at the latest. The space’s interior will be gutted and aesthetically revamped between now and then.

Pistorino said her inspiration came in part from a used bookstore that once existed on Keswick Avenue in the early 1980s.

“I was obsessed with that store. It just kind of went away one day and I’ve always missed having a bookstore here,” she said. “It’s been my dream to do this since I was a tiny little person. As I’m moving into the next phase of my life, this was the obvious choice.”

“I want to create a beautiful spot in Glenside for people to walk to. I think we need something like this. Everyone I’ve talked to has been very excited,” she said.

Pistorino’s original plan was to occupy a vacant space within Glenside Lanes, though those plans fell through. When the Glenside Avenue space opened up in early August, she grabbed it.

“I was having trouble finding the right vibes in the spaces I was seeking out. I knew the shop had to be in Glenside. I saw the listing one day, and then people started sending it my way, so I decided to take a look at it. It has a lot of potential,” she said.

A soft opening will be announced as we move into the fall months, Pistorino said.

For more on Glenside Book Garden, you can visit their website and Facebook page.

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