By Zoe Perzo
Mavey Books, the new indie bookstore in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, will host their grand opening this Indie Bookstore Day, April 27! Owner Nadia Alawa sat down with me to share her origin story and vision for the store.
Alawa comes to bookselling over a decade of nonprofit work. (She also homeschooled all her children.) So, what drew her to bookselling?
“Mavey Books is a culmination of my love for business and people’s stories, and the comfort that books have always brought me,” Alawa explained. “I want to impact change and bring books and smiles to our local community here in Ardmore — and I really look forward to it!”
She’s joined on this journey by two of her adult daughters, twins Silla and Deema. Alawa is thrilled to have her daughters on board, and it’s clear the three of them are an excellent team.
“The fun part of running a business with your kids is that we all know each other and we know each other’s weak points!” said Alawa. “But, of course, then we also know each other’s strengths, so we can easily outsource projects.”
Alawa told me her daughters are taking the lead on social media and branding for the shop, as well as other creative aspects.
“I am immensely impressed by the talent and skills that Silla and Deema bring to the bookstore. It sort of entices me to up my game!” she said.
And there’s one more indispensable member of this team…
“Mavey is our friendly, curious, rescue puppy that our name and logo are based on. She brings smiles and laughter to our hearts every day. She can also be a challenge when she keeps nagging at something.”
She’s a source of inspiration and like her, Alawa hopes, “Mavey Books will challenge our status quo and ways of thinking while also bringing community and people together!”
“We are minority owners and also newbies to the Mainline area here in Ardmore. We are excited to be representing a bookstore with diverse viewpoints and a global backbone,” Alawa said. “Our vision is really to be who we are and organically become a part of the business and community landscape. We want you to love going to Mavey Books because of the awesome books, great vibe, and the friends you meet there.”
While gearing up for the grand opening, Mavey Books has already appeared at their first event. On April 20, they had a booth at the Ardmore Spring Festival, where they sold books, handed out raffle tickets, and hosted book signings with several authors.
If you’re in the Ardmore area, join them for the grand opening of Mavey Books on April 27, 2024. You can also support them from afar by finding them on Facebook, Instagram, and Bookshop.