MONTCLAIR, NJ — It’s the kind of spot that makes you want to move to Montclair. That was one admirer’s words of praise for Watchung Booksellers, which recently nailed down a prestigious “Bookstore of the Year” award from one of the industry’s leading trade publications.
Publishers Weekly named the local literary cornerstone as its 2026 winner, choosing it from among 3,200 independent bookstores across the nation.
Established 35 years ago, the vibrant local business has carved out a reputation as a cornerstone of support for Montclair families, writers and schools.
Over the years, Watchung Booksellers has served as a launchpad for a long list of debut authors, giving them a chance to shine on the same stage as luminaries like David Sedaris, Jeff Kinney, Bobbi Brown and Hillary Clinton.
The bookstore has also weaved itself into the fabric of the community, partnering for events and projects with the Montclair Public Library, Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence, the Adult School of Montclair and other local groups.
Here’s a little bit of background about the store’s origin, as seen on its website:
“Watchung Booksellers was founded in 1991 by Kathy Linsk at 33 Watchung Plaza, on the second floor above the old Bradner’s Pharmacy. In 1996, Margot Sage-El and Trina Rogers became new owners and started to rebuild and reach out to the community. Margot became sole owner in 2000. Watchung Booksellers moved into our current, beautiful home [at 54 Fairfield Street] in August 2001.”
In 2023, Maddie Ciliotta-Young took over operations from her mother, Sage-El, in 2023, making the store a Black-owned business.
In recent years, the bookstore has grown in other ways.
First was the opening of The Kids’ Room, a dedicated children’s bookstore located down the block from the flagship store. Then came the launch of The Watchung Booksellers Podcast, monthly writers workshops, a weekly writers’ group, several bookseller-run book clubs, and extra adult and children’s author events.
The local literary hotspot has also served as a muse to aspiring authors.
In 2025, Delacorte Press published “The Last Bookstore on Earth” by Lily Braun-Arnold, whose stint as a bookseller at Watchung – a home away from home – inspired her to write a young adult novel set in a bookstore.
Other notable authors the bookstore has helped to boost include writers Alice Elliott Dark and Ian Frazier.
“Here is a place where I can not only find or order any book I want to read or give, but also I am enveloped by a sense of caring, creativity, and good cheer, the small town life of my dreams,” Dark said.
“It might sound heavy to say that Watchung Booksellers is a place where Literature lives, but it’s true,” Frazier said. “The fun of reading, the profoundest satisfactions of it, and the warmth of a community of readers – all thrive and prosper at Watchung Booksellers.”
Journalist and author Candy J. Cooper – who nominated the store to Publishers Weekly – summed up what makes Watchung Booksellers so special to the community:
“Watchung Booksellers is a beloved literary and community hub for anyone who treasures the written word, a cozy reading space for toddlers, a launchpad for local and regional authors, a recommender of great reads, a partner and promoter of the local literary festival, a beacon of sanity during the pandemic shutdown. The presence of Watchung Booksellers in the neighborhood persuaded me to move to Montclair 30 years ago and makes it difficult to imagine ever leaving now. It has meant more in my life, for my overall sense of happiness and well-being, than any other local business.”
It isn’t the first time that Watchung Booksellers has been showered with praise, Publishers Weekly noted.
In 2025, children’s bookseller Susie Sonneborn was named “Bookseller of the Year” by the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, a regional trade group that represents booksellers. Also that year, Sage-El was recognized by the Montclair Public Library Foundation for her lifelong dedication to literacy and community-building.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition from Publishers Weekly,” Ciliotta-Young said. “This award belongs to our dedicated staff, our loyal customers, and the entire community that continues to support us.”
“Thirty years ago, my mom started something pretty special and poured her whole life into this store,” she added. “I can only hope to carry that legacy forward with the wonderful community she built.”
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