The newest addition to Washington’s literary scene welcomes all comers.
“Bright and cheerful, a little bit funky, happy, and welcoming, with something for EVERYONE,” is how Laurie Gillman describes her new bookstore, East City Bookshop. The latest kid on the DC-indie block has been open a little less than three months. Already, though, it’s garnering a following among young and old alike.
“Setting aside our kid customers (we have tons of those),” says Gillman, “our typical customer lives within a couple miles of the shop — although we do have tourists regularly — and reads lots of literary fiction.”
Located on Capitol Hill just a short jaunt from the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Folger Shakespeare Library, East City sits at the center of a literate, worldly area. Not that it doesn’t have an intimate hometown feel.
“Many of our staff have lived in the neighborhood for many years, and we’re very rooted here,” says Gillman, “as are many of our customers.”
So come for the cozy lounge, the funky vibe, or the author talks. Just be sure to stick around and chat awhile. “We have a friendly, knowledgeable staff who like to talk about books as well as current events or just things going on in the neighborhood,” says Gillman.
Try finding that at the big-box stores!
East City Bookshop is located at 645 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Washington, DC. Click here for more info, and follow them on Twitter at @eastcitybooks.
