As the nation’s city of world heritage, Philadelphia prides itself for its exceptional history and diverse culture. Hence, the historic outdoor marketplace–fondly known as Little Italy–is one of Philly’s most cherished attractions. There, 10 city blocks down South 9th Street, tourists and locals immerse themselves in a gastronomic environment. However, not just a 15-minute walk from the heart of Little Italy, a cluster of independent bookstores stretches across the mouth of South Street. There, tourists and locals–with their bags full of fresh produce and freshly cut meats–filter out onto South Street’s busy scene where dozens of art and recreational businesses line the street.

If you could imagine a place where these two worlds coincide, would you see a place where second-hand books coexist with vinyl records and DVDs; does the storefront shine under the sun because it is embossed with mosaic art; do you see a cat wandering the narrow aisles of this mom-and-pop shop? If you could imagine this place, you should know it already exists as Molly’s Books and Records. Burrowed between the Italian markets and the cluster of bookstores, Molly’s Books and Records stands as the intersection of one of the most culturally and artistically enriched communities of South Philly. 

As Education Updates explains, Philadelphia was historically a site for immigration, particularly for people of Italian, Irish, and German descent. In fact, their presence is still recognized in South Philly as the population of Italian descendants stands at 17.7%, Irish descendants at 16.5%, and German descendants at 11.7%, according to the United States Census Bureau. However, it is the dominating presence of Italian ancestry that contributes to the cultural identity of South Philly. 

Now, you can easily picture South Philly as the hub for authentic Italian cuisine, and this points to the significance of food in Italian culture and identity. In fact, in the Broad Street Review Pamela J. Forsythe explains gastronomy is a “‘social glue’” in Italian communities, especially in South Philly where Italian-owned businesses were established to facilitate daily and authentic Italian life. Therefore, when you picture yourself standing at the heart of Little Italy, you see butcher shops, specialty food shops, authentic pizza and pasta restaurants–what you don’t expect to see is a used bookstore. 

So, how does Molly’s Books and Records fit into this gastronomic environment of South Philly? According to the official website of Philadelphia, the city has a long history and commitment to preserving culture and art. This sentiment of celebrating culture and art is reflected in the 10.7% of South Philly’s population who are currently employed in arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (United States Bureau). Notably, dozens of art and recreational businesses scatter throughout South Street, such as a painting studio, a concert venue, and at least nine other independent bookstores. 

With nine other independent bookstores in South Philly, how does Molly’s Books and Records establish meaning as a significant place of art? Consider Tim Cresswell’s fundamentals of defining place: “Naming is one of the ways space can be given meaning and become place” (9) and “places must have some relationship to humans and the human capacity to produce and consume meaning” (7). Originally established in 2001 at the heart of Little Italy, Molly’s Books would yet officially change its name to Molly’s Books and Records until nearly nine years later (The Secondhand Beat). As mentioned in Tamala Edward’s 6abc News article, the name change proceeded after the bookstore’s owner, Molly Russakoff, formed a relationship and partnership with rock-and-roll enthusiast Joe Ankenbrand; together they operate Molly’s Books and Records as a family-owned business. In this sense, Molly’s Books and Records is a place of unique and emotional meaning to Molly Russakoff and Joe Ankenbrand–but how does the store become a meaningful place in an area where people’s values rest in culture and cuisine? 

As Laura J. Miller explains in Reluctant Capitalists, independent bookstores like Molly’s Books and Records “assumed position as cultural authorities” (84) of their communities. Hence, these independent bookstores diversify and expand their reading material to preserve the democracy of bookselling and bookbuying (Miller 84). With this ideology, Molly’s Books and Records became a multifaceted bookstore where customers can purchase vinyl records and DVDs (The Secondhand Beat). Not to mention, the bookstore has one of the most diverse genres of books in the neighborhood, including poetry, literature, children’s books, and more–note, I have yet to list all the sub-genres of their extensive cookbook and food writing selection. In their position as “cultural authorities” (84) of South Philly, Molly’s Books and Records pursued the task of representing the culinary cultures of Little Italy through a carefully curated cookbook collection. Considering Little Italy’s history with immigration and cultural diversity, the cookbook collection extends its range far beyond the neighborhood’s Italian population with books “devoted to Pennsylvania Dutch, African American, Native American, Jewish, Scandinavian, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisines, among others” (Weil). In their pursuit of diverse cultural representation through cookbooks, Molly’s Books and Records became the intersection of culinary and artistic cultures of South Philadelphia.

Works Cited

“The City of Philadelphia Celebrates 60 Years of Percent for Art.” City of Philadelphia, 18 Apr. 2019, www.phila.gov/2019-04-18-the-city-of-philadelphia-celebrates-60-years-of-percent-for-art/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2023.

Cresswell, Tim. “Defining Place.” pdf.

Edwards, Tamala. “Married couple shares their love of books, music at Molly’s Books and Records in South Philly.” 6abc News, 3 Mar. 2022, 6abc.com/mollys-books-and-records-italian-market-south-philadelphia-art-of-aging/11617396/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2023.

Forsythe, Pamela J. “The Italian Legacy in Philadelphia: History, Culture, People, and Ideas.” Edited by Andrea Canepari and Judith Goode. Broad Street Review, 18 Jan. 2022, www.broadstreetreview.com/reviews/the-italian-legacy-in-philadelphia-history-culture-people-and-ideas-edited-by-andrea-canepari-and-judith-goode. Accessed 19 Sept. 2023.

Miller, Laura J. Reluctant Capitalists. 2006.

“Molly’s Books and Records.” The Secondhand Beat, 12 Mar. 2011, thesecondhandbeat.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/mollys-books-records-part-ii/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2023.

Stephanie. “Decisions of the Board of Special Inquiry: The Story of Irish Immigrant Bridget Donaghy.” Education Updates, 1 July 2021, education.blogs.archives.gov/2021/07/01/irish-immigrant-bridget-donaghy/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2023.

United States Census Bureau. data.census.gov/profile/ZCTA5_19147?g=860XX00US19147#employment. Accessed 19 Sept. 2023.Weil, Abigail. “There’s No Place in Philly Quite Like Molly’s Books & Records.” Eater Philadelphia, 13 Dec. 2021, philly.eater.com/2021/12/13/22820597/mollys-books-records-italian-market-bookstore-cookbooks. Accessed 19 Sept. 2023.