Bantam strikes again, this time with a lovely bookstore. Situated in the old
switch factory building, Dickens takes its artful place in the neighborhood.

This past summer, on Memorial Day weekend, Sue and Bob Schwalb did something unexpected in these web-obsessed times. They opened a bookstore. Dickens Books & Art is the latest addition to the growing number of shops and restaurants popping up in the charming town of Bantam. And its cozy-friendly feel and wide selection of new and used books, along with collectible, signed, and vintage editions has made it instantly well received by local folks and weekend visitors alike. Lining the shelves are volumes on architecture, cooking, crafting, quilting, home design, gardening, writing, history, and art. Among them are some rarities, and many more you won’t find at mainstream shops. As the Dickens website says, “It’s a Browser’s Delight as we continue categorizing.”

With a long history  of working in the publishing world, Bob and Sue always dreamed of having their own bookstore. They talked about it for years. So when the Borders bookstore in White Plains closed, the couple looked toward the future. They purchased a bunch of bookshelves from the chain and put them in storage. Now, those shelves are filled with thought-provoking, unusual, and even quirky books, some that make customers happy to recall great memories of reading them for the first time.

“We want to make people smile,” Sue says. “They see things from their childhood and their faces light up. A local author saw a book that his fifth-grade teacher had read to him, and he ended up purchasing the book. It’s great for people to make those connections.” Vintage music plays in the background at Dickens—jazz, standards, and tunes from the 1920s to the ’40s. “A little nostalgia is a really good thing,” Sue says. “I think it’s actually uplifting.” And, she adds, browsing is calming. People like to hang out in bookstores and just meander through the shelves. And there are plenty of surprises as you poke into the store’s nooks and crannies: an old-fashioned typewriter, a vintage Apple computer, things that hark back to time’s past.

The shop is located on the first floor of the old switch factory building on Route 202 in Bantam, whose tenants include artists, architects, and other creative businesses. It’s a great neighborhood for a bookstore like the Schwalbs’, which is almost a mini version of The Strand in Manhattan.

The store even has a mascot, Grip, the Raven, who was Charles Dickens’s beloved pet. It’s said that Dickens included him as a character in Barnaby Rudge. The story goes that a young Edgar Allen Poe read the book, was inspired by the bird, and went on to write his haunting poem The Raven. According to the bookshop’s website, “when Grip passed away in 1841, the heartbroken Dickens had him, er, stuffed. Now he sits in the Rare Book Department of the Philadelphia Free Library.” But if you look closely in the Dickens bookshop, you will find Grip’s fellow raven perched atop one of the shelves. And you can’t miss his profile on the logo and graphics throughout the store. The owners even have an engraving of Grip that they acquired through a British merchant. The Dickens theme will continue, of course: first, in the form of a marathon reading of A Christmas Carol by friends, authors, and customers during the holidays. And there will be more Dickens-themed events to come.

Sue and Bob are also art lovers and have incorporated their passion into the business by showing and selling artwork. The store’s walls are lined with framed art prints, paintings, illustrations, and posters, some with iconic images, some from times gone by, and some from local artists. Running a gallery of sorts within the shop, Bob and Sue will be hanging shows and hosting art receptions, as well as author book signings and readings. A poetry event and a handful of artist receptions have already kicked off the season.

The children’s book section is already filled with classics and great picture books, and Bob and Sue have plans to expand it. Tucked in the front of the shop, is a small section devoted to art supplies, journals, and arts and crafts items. There are no e-books at Dickens, but eventually, they say, they will sell books online as well.

So far, the reception to the bookstore has been very positive and welcoming. At a recent art opening one Sunday afternoon, the shop was filled with customers. Everyone was curious about the store and excited to take a peek. As word spreads, Dickens is sure to  become a favorite hangout.

The store is now open Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm, but may be open more days as their business grows, so check in with Sue and Bob.

Dickens Books & Art
Old Switch Factory Building
931 Bantam Road (Route 202) in Bantam
www.dickensbooks.com
860.361.6855