STORY BY MEGAN DEMAREST PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY NORTHSHIRE BOOKSTORE
Northshire Bookstore Celebrates 50 Years
The beloved independent bookstore is celebrating its Golden Anniversary in a big way.
The Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT is my alltime favorite bookstore. I’ ve visited many a bookstore in my day, including The Strand in New York City, Powell’ s City of Books in Portland, OR, and City Lights in San Francisco, CA. All wonderful, each in their own unique way.
What makes the Northshire Bookstore so special is something that is hard to describe, but the vibe obviously resonates with me and so many others. It’ s a place where the history of fair Manchester collides with the contemporary aesthetic of today’ s bookstore enthusiasts, creating an atmosphere that invites you to explore every nook and book at any pace your heart desires. I have run into the Bookstore quickly to grab something I need( or want), in and out in 5 minutes, thanks to ample parking and efficient book sellers. I have brought visiting friends and family in to see the super cool book arch for a photo op. I have most certainly done 90 % of my holiday shopping there. And, on rare occasions when I have time to kill, I have sauntered in leisurely, knowing there is no better place to satisfy the need to browse. I don’ t like in-person shopping very much. But I love shopping at the Northshire Bookstore because it has never felt like a chore. It’ s always more like a privilege.
When Nicole Ihasz, along with her sisters, Cathleen and Ashley, and Ashley’ s husband, Scott Austin, took over Northshire Bookstore in the Fall of 2022, they inherited more than a business; they inherited an already-cherished community institution. The transition came through a personal connection: a conversation with Clark French, the previous owner, who reached out after the unfortunate passing of his wife Lu. Clark was exploring a sale of Northshire and thought that the Ihasz sisters would care for the store as much as his family did, and the original owners before him, Ed and Barbara Morrow, had.( You can read more about the Ihasz sisters and Scott in Stratton Magazine Winter 2023.)
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