On Saturday, October 26th, the Penguin Bookshop will be celebrating it’s 90th anniversary! Following Sewickley’s Halloween parade, Penguin will have treats and special give-aways all day. They’ll also be hosting Ryan C. Brown, author of Pittsburgh and the Great Steel Strike of 1919.
If you haven’t visited the Penguin Bookshop recently, this is an excellent opportunity to stop by and say “hello”! You can also stop by virtually by connecting with Penguin on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (and by visiting their website, penguinbookshop.com).
Happy Birthday, Penguin!
Since 1929, the Penguin Bookshop has been a fixture in the bucolic town of Sewickley, Pennsylvania. With 6 different owners and 3 different locations over the last 90 years, the Penguin has remained a vital community institution thanks to the continued loyalty of its customers and the passion of its booksellers. It is a haven for readers of all ages offering personal staff recommendations, the Penguin Evening Readers book club, and children’s storytime, in addition to individual author events.
Located just 20 minutes outside of both Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh International Airport, it remains one of the local and regional community’s greatest treasures—a vibrant part of the Sewickley community and a great literary resource for the Pittsburgh region.
The Penguin offers a well-curated and extensive collection of fiction and non-fiction for all ages, as well as journals, cards, and magazines.
Timeline:
October 1929 – The Penguin Bookshop first opened at 311 Chestnut Street. The owners and Sewickley socialites, Isabelle L. Adams and Eleanor Gilchrist, named their shop after their favorite book, Penguin Island by Anatole France. Gilchrist eventually moved to New York to become a literary editor, and Adams moved the shop to 434 Beaver Street, the former Schlump’s Cigar Store.
1939 – Adams sold the shop to Adelaide M. Russel for $1. Adelaide and her husband, Douglas Ritchey, operated the Penguin Bookshop at 434 Beaver Street for over 40 years.
1981 – Elizabeth “Elsie” Barker and her husband, Chuck Allen, bought the business from the Ritcheys. They bought the property at 420 Beaver Street from James G. Park and moved the Penguin Bookshop to this location.
1987 – Margaret Marshall, a Penguin Bookshop staff member, bought the bookshop from the Allens. Marshall, with the help of her well-read staff and her cat O’Henry, served Sewickley booklovers for 20 years.
2007 – Marshall put the business and property up for sale in 2007. Janet and Bud McDanel purchased the Penguin Bookshop and invested their resources and passion into operating the bookstore for 6 years.
2014 – The McDanels sold the business to local resident Susan Hans O’Connor. O’Connor reopened the Penguin Bookshop in a fully renovated space at 417 Beaver St. She hopes the Penguin will continue serving the Sewickley community for many years to come.
For more information, visit: https://www.penguinbookshop.com/
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