Philadelphia Bookstore Reaches Altitude of 35,000 Feet

Last week, bookstore owner Angie Roach noticed several uniformed airline pilots browsing in Voices & Visions, her 14-month-old general bookstore in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia. The 2,500-square-foot store on the lower level of the historic Bourse Building is only about 10 minutes from Philadelphia International Airport, but, she told BTW, "I had no idea who clued them in to our store."

Other customers whom she identified as tourists appeared in the store in the past week and that piqued Roach's curiosity further. "I asked them where they were from, and they replied that they had just flown in from Buffalo [New York]," she said. "Then they explained that they read about the store in the in-flight magazine on USAirways. This was news to me."

Other travelers, including some from California, mentioned that they were also in the store based on the description in the "Hubs" section of the magazine. "[The USAirways Magazine] gives recommendations for restaurants, museums, and shops in USAir's hub cities. Voices & Visions was selected and given a short write up," Roach told BTW.

Under the headline "Bookworm's Delight," the article describes Voices & Visions as "spacious" and "welcoming," offering "everything for any age or taste, from kids' books, thrillers, biographies, and coffee-table books, all while staying true to its Philadelphia roots and indie flavor." -- Nomi Schwartz