Friendly Alien Books landing soon in downtown Scranton
Brigid Lawrence had the same thought rolling around in her head for years.“Someone really needs to open another bookstore in Scranton,” she said.That thought has followed her since Anthology, the downtown bookstore of her middle and high school days, closed. The idea popped up throughout college and on trips with her husband, creeping back when they would check out bookstores on their travels.“Every single time, we always say to each other, man, someone really needs to open one in Scranton,” she said. “We need that back again.”In a few weeks, she’ll be the someone to bring an independent bookstore back to downtown Scranton when Friendly Alien Books opens its doors.The storefront on Wyoming Avenue isn’t ready yet, but Lawrence held an open house during First Friday this month. She said a “steady stream” of people came by to see what she’s been working on.“It’s been beyond magical to see how many people want to support this, want to help support me and just kind of want to celebrate this new business coming to downtown,” she said.
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Submitted photo Brigid Lawrence, owner of Friendly Alien Books, at an open house during April’s First Friday in Scranton.
There’s a counter and empty shelves that still carry a fresh wood scent. When contractors aren’t working in the bookstore, they’re on the next level working on apartments.Lawrence plans to stock the shelves with books of all genres for children and adults. She’ll also carry some used books, which people have already started donating.“I feel so incredibly luckly in that regard, that so many people have just been like ‘I love the idea, I want to help,’” Lawrence said.Opening a bookstore can be a costly investment. Lawrence has worked at this for two years, but she says the timing is right. While Scranton lacks an independent store, The Little Book Place opened in Tunkhannock last year, and Known Grove Books & More is planning an expansion.Lawrence, a lifelong reader, has seen social media exploding with bookish content – from “Booktok” to “Bookstagram,” – and hopes that excitement will bring in customers.“There seems to be a growing market for it,” she said.Most of all, Lawrence is excited to join a “long line of small businesses in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”“The community is also so supportive. They all want to support local too,” she said. “I just feel so lucky to be a part of that now from a different angle…to be on the other side of it, it’s just like ‘oh my God, this is so fun.”
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