Family Roots & Literary Pursuits: A Brief History of Molly’s Books and Records in the 9th Street Italian Market

The 9th Street Italian Market in Philadelphia has a history of great inspiration and beauty. In the late 19th century, as the city’s cogs and gears churned away, Italian immigrants began settling in South Philadelphia. They brought with them a love for good food, and to make a living and find a place in the industrial powerhouse of a city, they began selling their produce and all else along the busy 9th Street. Fast forward a few decades and those Italian families will have transformed the street into something of a food haven. In small, family-owned shops, they sold fresh food and delectable cultural dishes. This market became a cornerstone of Italian-American culture in Philadelphia.

As time trudged on, the rise of chain stores and supermarkets almost threatened the charm of the market. However, the unique spirit and community that these businesses maintained with one another let it thrive through all that changed around it. The 9th Street Italian Market stands as a testament to the enduring magic of human connections and good food. It’s a place where cultures collide and coalesce, where you can experience Italian culture without an Americanized overcoat, straight from the hearts of its founding Italian immigrants. It’s a place where tradition meets modernity in a jumble of flavors and community.

Tucked away in this place, a hidden gem adds another layer to the market’s allure. Molly’s Books and Records is nestled within the Bella Vista neighborhood of the Italian Market, and it has a very special occupation in the market.

One is bound to wonder what a bookstore has to do with a place renowned for its culinary delights. To really understand just how Molly’s fits into the place, one must learn first of its owner and namesake, Molly Russakoff. She’s the heart and soul behind the establishment, and her story is woven into the fabric of the Italian Market.

Molly Russakoff’s connection to the market is tied to her family’s involvement in the bookselling business. In an interview with Tamala Edwards, Russakoff calls herself “a third-generation bookseller” (Edwards). She’s lived in the marketplace for over forty years, and her father, a book lover himself, owned his own bookstore on 10th Street called “Russakoff’s Books and Records.” In 1997, this place was passed down to Molly’s older brother, Joe Russakoff. Joe’s store now goes by the name of, “Mostly Books.” A passion for literature runs in Russakoff’s blood.

In February 2002, Molly Russakoff purchased the property that would become Molly’s Books and Records. Before this title, it went under several names and held a variety of products. It has been called Molly’s Books and Records since 2009. Just like the Italian immigrants who infused the market with their culinary traditions, Russakoff infused her store with a love for the written word.

One of the key sections of the store is its collection of cookbooks. The content is varied, having titles from a plethora of ethnic backgrounds—which is very intentional. Rusakoff manages this stock, as well as the other literature in the store. Through its content, she works to embody the spirit of the market; tradition is treasured and community is key. In Laura J. Miller’s book, Reluctant Capitalists, she writes that, “For those involved in the book business, furthering diversity is a form of social responsibility” (Miller 82). In Russakoff’s case, it is more than her responsibility—it is a key aspect of her store’s purpose. 

In 2010, the current co-owner of Molly’s Books and Records, Joe Ankenbrand, officially joined forces with Russakoff. Prior to their partnership, Ankenbrand had been a customer and friend. Unlike Molly, he did not spend his early life in the midst of the Market, but he appreciates its influence and atmosphere as much as any lifelong resident. He holds an unyielding love for music, particularly rock music from the sixties, and has been collecting records since 1964.

Ankenbrand took charge of the music section of the store, curating a selection that would resonate with fellow music lovers and collectors, while Russakoff tended to the literary treasures that lined the shelves. Together, they expanded their customer base, trying to achieve the making of a place even more diverse and unique than the one Russakoff started with. In an interview from 2015, Ankenbrand said, “When Molly and I started this place together, we said we wanted the best little store in the world” (DeMuro). 

In 2014, Joe and Molly’s partnership became one more intimate than business partners. They married right in the store—a self-governed ceremony among their family, in front of their store’s classic Jukebox. Their union was not only a merging of passions but also of hearts. They live upstairs from the store with their cat, Mrs. Stevenson, and Russakoff’s son, Johnny, who cares for the movies section and helps manage the store. What makes Molly’s Books and Records truly remarkable is not just the products on its shelves, but the love story that unfolded within its walls.

This timeline was created for the purpose of visualizing the events presented in this article.

A bookstore is as much about its content as it is about the atmosphere that’s created in its space. Molly’s Books and Records combines the passions of two beautiful people and the product is exactly what the partners hoped for. They run their store in a way that rejects the typical style of running a business, emphasizing the importance of preserving and sharing above all else. Their commitment to the Italian Market community runs deep, and they source most of their store’s needs locally, supporting their neighbors and fostering an everlasting sense of unity. “There’s something kind of indescribable about the personal connection that we feel with the other people on the street. We kind of feel like we’re all in it together” (DeMuro), said Ankenbrand, in a previously referenced interview. Also in that interview, he notes that oftentimes when he is buying stock for the store, he is shopping with specific customer requests in mind. In Miller’s book, she writes about the value and intelligence of getting a key customer’s insight on what to order in a publisher’s next print run. (Miller 77) Although a different scenario, the sentiment still sticks at Molly’s. Ankenbrand and Russakoff benefit by conversing with their customers, forming relationships, and shopping with their suggestions in mind.

Ankenbrand and Russakoff have refrained from online sales and take pride in knowing their top customers personally. Their online presence is very limited, and they like to keep it that way. Just like the rest of the 9th Street Italian Market, their bookstore provides an authentic and intimate experience that transcends the digital age, where the true value lies not only in the books and records on their shelves but in the genuine connections formed with their customers.

Molly’s Books and Records is a place where generations come together, where the love for literature and music transcends age, and where the Italian Market’s rich history continues to unfold.