‘All About Community’: Independent Bookstore Opens in Downtown State College

Now open in the heart of downtown State College, a local bookstore hopes to make its mark on the community with a mix of literature resources for all ages.

The Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop debuted at 103 S. Allen St. with a soft opening in mid-September following a busy summer of preparations. Owner Andrew Aschwanden says the shop’s initial reception has already been encouraging.

“It was a bit of a push to open in the timeframe I was hoping for, but it worked out. The community has welcomed me nicely and appreciated everything I’ve done, and that feels remarkable,” Aschwanden said. “Traffic has been great. People are consistently coming in and checking it out, which is a good sign early on.”

As expected, the Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop sells books scattered across countless shelves inside the cozy downtown shop, including a children’s section and displays themed after nearby holidays like Halloween and Christmas. Books are also available for purchase through the shop’s online store.

Additionally, the Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop offers a dedicated stationery section filled with paper, notebooks, writing utensils and even designer brands to encourage writing, especially among younger readers.

Aschwanden said he also hopes to host community events at the Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop, including hands-on workshops and children’s readings, visits from local and national authors and partnerships with local schools for fundraisers and book fairs. It’s all in an effort to provide a community fixture that offers far more than just books, he said.

“My goal with the bookstore was not only to provide amazing stories and works that people can enjoy but also provide resources to help them create their own,” Aschwanden said. “We want to make reading and writing cool.”

Getting the Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop open was a tall task for Aschwanden, who’s currently operating the store as a one-man operation, he said. He worked throughout the summer to renovate the shop’s interior inside the former location of The Animal Kingdom, which moved down the street to merge with its sister store, Growing Tree Toys.

Most of the interior work revolved around opening up the space by removing some older fixtures, including a wall that sat at the center of what’s now the bookstore’s front room. Aschwanden also upgraded his shop with energy-efficient lighting and a blue paint job on the exterior windows, replacing the light-green color passersby have seen for years.

“I wouldn’t say it was a total makeover, but we did some substantial work,” Aschwanden said. “I’m glad many people are seeing this as a great place to read and write.”

While searching for furniture to fill his store’s children’s section, Aschwanden said he was enamored by a particular mid-century modern chair — enough so that he expanded the aesthetic throughout the whole store. He stayed local with some of the shop’s other furniture by purchasing the stationery nook’s desks at Spectra Wood in State College.

A store in State College means a great deal for Aschwanden, who’s no stranger to the area. He previously worked as a research technician at Penn State for more than 12 years and is thrilled to start the next chapter of his life just across the street from the university’s flagship campus.

“[Working at Penn State] was a great experience, but I wanted to pursue another of my loves, which is books,” Aschwanden said. “It’s great still having that connection to campus and seeing people I know come to the store. Now, we can connect on a different level. This is such an exciting time, and I’ve enjoyed every day I’ve been open.”

Penn State’s Small Business Development Center helped Aschwanden form plans to open the Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop. There, he worked with a team of experts to put together an entrepreneurial plan and examine his finances before opening his very first business. In total, plans for the bookstore were in the works for nearly three years.

Now with his shop’s doors open and solid footing beneath him, Aschwanden hopes to turn his up-and-coming business into a community fixture. Doing so is an important goal for any independent bookstore, he says.

“The great thing about independent bookstores is that they really are community institutions. Without the community, you can’t really have one,” Aschwanden said. “If you’re not connecting with people and being a part of your community, you’re not going to succeed. It’s all about the community, and we’re hoping to make our mark here in State College.”

The Squirrel and Acorn Bookshop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Follow the shop on Facebook or visit its website to learn more.