Books lined new shelves under the watchful, glowing eyes of two dragon statues as Otto Bookstore general manager John Shableski stepped up to the microphone.
He called out several times for the people browsing the shelves to gather in the first room of the store.
OPEN FOR FIRST FRIDAY
The newly-expanded Otto Bookstore will be open for First Friday tonight in downtown Williamsport.
“Hello, people in the other space, please don’t leave us alone waiting for you,” he said.
This was a new problem for Shableski. Thursday night’s reception unveiled the Otto Bookstore’s first expansion in more than 180 years of business.
Shableski welcomed a crowd of invited guests from the community on Thursday, but the store is open tonight for First Friday in downtown Williamsport. They announced plans to expand in January, but on Thursday night Shableski said the bulk of the construction had come together over the past month.
“It's been such an amazing experience going through this,” he said.
The bookstore took over a former bridal shop next door to its location on West Fourth Street. The new wing is connected to the original building by a doorway cut into the wall and houses fiction and nonfiction best sellers and the new checkout counter, which Shableski calls the pulpit.
Owner Kathryn Nassberg said she’s spent all week at the store getting ready to reopen.
“I’m feeling a little bit tired from the work, but very excited about everything that's happened,” she said. “We've been just thrilled at the turnout, the support, just everybody has been so excited for what we're doing, and we're excited in return to make something even better for the downtown area.”
Even though she’s seen the progress unfold for weeks, Nassberg still could not believe the results.
“We're lucky to have the people … that we do to help us get to where we need to be,” she said. “I could not be happier with how things have turned out.”
Lycoming County Commissioner Mark Mussina and State Rep. Jamie Flick helped welcome the crowd to the expanded store. Businesses from along West Fourth Street and throughout downtown provided food and drinks.
Damon Lomison and his brother, Drew Lomison, owners of Fair Play Distillers, served up cocktails for browsing the stacks. Damon Lomison said he’s been coming to the bookstore for at least 20 years.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “We’re so glad to see them expanding and looking forward to seeing what new books they have to offer.”
