Sean Selback
News Editor
Growing up in East Stroudsburg, it is easy to look down on the quiet town and its lack of attractions or exciting atmosphere. I mean, it is only a matter of time before a kid becomes bored of going to “Big Wheel,” the local roller rink, or heading to the Stroud Mall movie theater to see the latest blockbuster. As an ESU student, one must try their hardest not to get sucked into the repetitive schedule of dorm life and weekend frat parties to satisfy their urge for both comfortability and excitement.
However, having the privilege of growing up in this “quiet” and “boring” town of East Stroudsburg has also allowed me to become privy to an abundance of “secret” locations hidden in plain sight. One of which has the potential to bring comfort and knowledge to anyone lucky enough to pass through its doors. Tucked away on the very end of Stroudsburg’s Main Street, only a half hour walk from campus, or a five minute drive, lies a beautiful secondhand bookstore called Carroll & Carroll Booksellers.
Opened in 1991 by George and Lisa Carroll, this little used bookstore has been providing local customers with a variety of unique and enriching literature. From books on philosophy, or biographies on people you had not known existed, to a step-by-step guide on lock picking, or classic works of fiction, there is almost nothing you can not find, at one point or another, in the walls of this shop.
When you first walk in, you are greeted by two important obstructions. The first, a maze of stacked books with towers reaching heights so close to the ceiling, they make you question their structural integrity. The other, much more important blockade, is a stunning Domestic Longhair, with fur of orange jasper and faded copper. This bookstore panther named Buddy is the protector of knowledge and fantasy alike.
Once you make it past this soft-pawed beast, you will normally find a worker, if not one of the owners themselves, sitting at the desk most likely reading. I have yet to encounter someone who was not polite, helpful, and somehow, through access to what can be called no less than divine knowledge, seems to know where almost every book is placed within these beautiful ruins of a library. Apart from the lone librarian, it is common to come across a few like minded, or complete opposite, individuals perusing the scattered shelves for a spine that peaks their interest. If you find something you like, you are, of course, welcome to take it home with you to enjoy. If you are not sure whether you want it yet, or even if you just want a calm and quiet place to read, there are chairs and couches all over the tiny shop for customers to use while reading. Though, you will find that many people become comfortable on the carpet right where they found said book, seemingly unable to get up.
Sadly, it is not often that I am able to make it into the store, especially during the school year with my busy schedule. But, when I am able to stop by, it is always worth it. Growing up, I was never a big reader. However, over time, and partially with the help of this shop, I have become an avid, and diverse literature enthusiast. Through my progression as a reader, I have been fortunate enough to have bought several books, of all different genres, from Carroll & Carroll Booksellers. From classics such as The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, to a book of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays, and even the published paper, On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt. The list of pieces one could get their hands on from this shop goes on and on.
For more information on Carroll & Carroll Booksellers, call (570) 420-1516 or visit them at 740 Main St, Stroudsburg, PA 18360
