Cookbook store profile – The Cook Book Stall

It’s time for another installment in the EYB series highlighting independent cookbook stores. Discover (or get reacquainted with) a store near your home – or plan a new target destination when you travel.

To keep this feature vital, we’re asking our members to help us. We already know of many great stores, (you can view the full list here), but we’d love to learn about more – especially those treasured by our members. So please share the names of independent cookbook stores that you know, love, admire, or are just plain crazy about. Add a comment to this posting, or email us at info@eatyourbooks.com with the name, address, and owner (if you know it). We’ll do the rest.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is home to the Reading Terminal Market, a vibrant and historic public food market located in the heart of the city. Tucked away between food and tableware vendors you will find The Cook Book Stall, an independent cookbook store specializing in interesting and unique titles not readily seen in the chain stores. This gorgeous shop, a feature of the market for over 30 years, has been highlighted in Saveur magazine as one of the ten best places in the world to buy a cookbook. Owner Jill Ross answered questions posed by EYB about the store. 

Two cookbook stores have closed down in the last year – The Cookbook Store in Toronto and Salt and Pepper Books in Maryland. How does The Cook Book Stall stay competitive in the current trading environment, where online stores offer low prices and free home delivery? 

I am sad that two bookstores closed; it is a tough business. I have an awesome location in the Reading Terminal Market. It is a historical landmark and a destination for tourists. We are close to the convention center and that helps. I also have an online shop that I promote in the store and I offer a discount from there. I have a great sign in my store that says “find it here, buy it here, keep us here” and most people like it and it makes them think. I also allow no cell phone pictures, either of the bar code or the cover of the book. That kind of pisses people off, but I explain to them the reason and they are usually cool about not taking the picture.