Webster’s Announces Short-Term Location In State College

Webster’s Bookstore Cafe will open a temporary location in the former Nittany Line Hobbies space, 121 S. Fraser St., co-owner Elaine Meder-Wilgus announced late Friday.

The retail space, facing the Fraser Street Plaza in State College, is expected to serve as Webster’s downtown home for a period of months. Meder-Wilgus has said she’s planning to open a more permanent new location in the downtown as soon as possible.

In an e-mail message to supporters Friday, she wrote that local landlord ‘Ed Friedman recognized our need and generously came to our aid to help us coordinate our move this Sunday with the new space. A hearty ‘thank you’ to him and to all of you … especially to all of you.’

Saturday is expected to be Webster’s final day at its current downtown location, 128 S. Allen St., where it has done business for 11 years. The landlord there, the local Kresge family, asked Webster’s to vacate by August after it fell behind on rent obligations.

A variety of supporters have said they’ll help the business move its inventory on Sunday. Some of the inventory will go, for now, to a storage space beneath the Chili’s restaurant on South Allen Street; the rest will go to the temporary Webster’s location on South Fraser Street.

It wasn’t immediately clear late Friday when the temporary location may open for business.

Meanwhile, Webster’s is maintaining its cafe location on Aaron Drive in Patton Township; an online book-selling business; and a catering division. On Saturday, the store at 128 S. Allen St. will cut prices by 75 percent on remaining books there.

Earlier coverage: Webster’s Reaches For Temporary Downtown Location, Owner Says