Mt. Airy’s Read & Eat expands to Roxborough

The Ridge Avenue commercial corridor has a new business to boast. The Roxborough Read & Eat is nowopen at the former Crossroads Cafe location. The used bookstore and cafe is the second of its kind for owner Jake Sudderth. He opened the Mt. Airy Read & Eat in the summer of 2014 after purchasing the inventory of now-shuttered Walk a Crooked Mile bookstore.

“Roxborough is one of those districts that hosts people who frequent the [Mt. Airy] bookstore, so opening a Roxborough site made a great deal of sense.” said Sudderth. “Having a store within the confines of the community should enhance the experience and allow for more book options.”

Working in collaboration with Oreland’s Greenberg’s Bakery the cafe within the store will feature baked goods, sandwiches, smoothies and specialty coffee drinks. Sudderth noted that Greenberg’s 90 years of business and specialization in Jewish pastries such as rugula and hamantaschen will provide more varied options for Roxborough residents.

Patrick Breslin has lived in Roxborough for the past eight years.

“I was disappointed when Crossroads closed down last year,” Breslin said. “It’s exciting to see a new, community-centered business going there in its place.” Breslin noted he has stopped into the bookstore and was impressed by the collection of books.

“It’s going to be a great place to do just what the name says — read and eat.”

For Sudderth, the building itself adds much to the appeal of the bookstore. Vacant for over a year, the location is well known in the community for its interesting interior with a mezzanine and beautiful stained glass ceiling.

“I think people sometimes forget how unique Philadelphia truly is in comparison to other cities,” said Sudderth, who grew up in Seattle but fell in love with Philadelphia after moving east for college. “The bookstore should provide a classic main street feel and a little slice of Americana along a neighborhood corridor in one of the greatest cities in America.”

The Roxborough Read & Eat is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.