Yardley Bookstore Earns Award As 'Best In Burbs'

YARDLEY, PA —The borough keeps racking up the accolades.

After Yardley was recognized recently as "adorable" and "charming" in two national surveys, its bookstore has now earned top honors as the "2023 Best Bookstore in the Burbs" by Philadelphia magazine in its upcoming "Best of Philly" issue.

Elizabeth Young, the owner of Commonplace Reader and president of Experience Yardley, said she was excited by the news that Commonplace Reader has received such recognition.

She said the magazine describes Commonplace Reader as “sprinkled [with] oodles of homespun charm” and “a little spot of small-town magic.”

Commonplace Reader was opened in 2019 on Yardley’s Main Street by Young, a long-time area resident who has lived in Yardley for more than 30 years and raised three children who graduated from the Pennsbury School District.

Young said that magic comes from the bookstore’s community partnerships.

Young and the staff host book clubs on the store’s front porch in a number of different genres: women’s literature, mystery, sci-fi and fantasy, environmental sustainability, and romance.

The book clubs bring together multi-generational groups for discussions on books and life.

"This connection with the community is close and it’s what makes the store so magical," said Young, who has also organized the borough's Music Off Main summer concert series.

She said the local partnerships don’t end with book clubs.

Commonplace Reader also has a number of community partners that it supports: Experience Yardley, the African American Museum of Bucks County (with whom they run a book club), Pennsbury School District, Yardley Historical Association, the Gather Place, AOY Arts Center, and Langhorne Council for the Arts.

The store has also partnered with BookSmiles to bring more than 5,000 books to underserved families in the greater Philadelphia and New Jersey regions, Young said.

In February 2022, the store launched its Art for Ukraine campaign, which partnered with local artists to sell art benefitting World Central Kitchen’s efforts in Ukraine.

Commonplace Reader also hosts a number of author events on the porch.

The bookstore has panels with local authors from Read Furiously on Aug. 12 and Sept. 9 for a reading of local poetry. The porch and store are accessible to all: the store has an ADA-compliant ramp.

"The store’s motto is Connect, Inspire, Explore, something we try to imbue into every aspect of our programming," Young said. "Our book clubs connect us with each other and encourage us to explore new ideas. Community partnerships inspire others to make a difference in our community, and local author events connect writers with each other for a dose of inspiration. At its heart, Commonplace Reader hopes to provide a safe space for community members to talk about books, ideas, and the countless things that matter to Yardley in an open and accepting atmosphere. The store is honored to have its efforts recognized."

Yardley was recently named among three in Bucks County as one of the "12 Most Adorable Towns In Pennsylvania" by World Atlas, joining New Hope and Doylestown.

In late April, PureWow, a digital company that publishes women's lifestyle content, ranked Yardley No. 6 of 16 "most charming towns" in Pennsylvania, which would make for an ideal place to live.

(Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Young)