The Otto Bookstore

On the frigid first morning of February, Jessup’s forecasting ferret drew a crowd of hundreds for a morning of tomfoolery, marking a new tradition in the Lackawanna County borough. But Jessup Giuseppe and Punxsutawney Phil ended up at odds about the forecast.

Throughout its more than 180 years in business, Otto Bookstore has moved around Williamsport, but it’s never expanded. That’s about to change as the bookstore’s owners announced they are preparing to double the store’s space by expanding into a former bridal shop right next door.

The Little League World Series brings in about 75,000 visitors each year, boosting the local economy.