Every person has a book that will transform them.
Nom de Plume is a new independent bookstore and café opening in Philadelphia. A place to find your next book, stay a while, and meet the readers and writers of this city.
Benjamin Franklin founds America's first lending library, right here in Philadelphia
Nom de Plume opens its doors in Philadelphia, carrying the idea forward
Philadelphia invented the public library. It deserves a bookstore to match.
In 1731, Benjamin Franklin and his friends pooled their money to buy books none of them could afford alone. Neighbors, investing together in access to ideas.
Nom de Plume carries that idea into the present. We are building a full-scale bookstore and café in the heart of Philadelphia, with thousands of books, a full espresso bar, and space dedicated to readings, book clubs, and conversation.
We believe bookstores are civic infrastructure. They are where a city thinks out loud. Nom de Plume will be built one customer at a time, by book people, for the city that started it all.
A bookstore built for staying
Most stores are designed to move you through. Nom de Plume is designed to make you want to stay.
Read what we sell
A deep, curated collection across literary fiction, romance, fantasy, nonfiction, and a serious section for young readers. Chosen by people who read for a living.
Good coffee, good light
A full coffeeshop built for lingering, with no pressure to give up your seat. Bring a book from home or find a new one in the stacks.
Where readers meet
A store built with room for community. Author readings, book clubs, workshops, and the occasional late night, right in the middle of it all.
Watch a bookstore come to life
Follow the build from empty room to opening day. Progress updates, first looks at the space, and early access to Founding Membership when it launches.
Delivered by Substack. One email or two a month.
Franklin's library was funded by its neighbors. So is Nom de Plume.
Nom de Plume is being built with the backing of people who believe an independent bookstore belongs in Philadelphia's future. Our founding partners share in the store's success and its story from the very first chapter.
If that sounds like you, we would love to start a conversation.