02-19-2025 PTL - Flipbook - Page 18
18 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, February 19, 2025
LIFESTYLE
The Ivy Bookshop
Baltimore’s hidden gem
for book lovers
By Margit B. Weisgal, Contributing Writer
T
ucked away in the charming Mt. Washington neighborhood of Baltimore, The
Ivy Bookshop is so much more than just a place to buy books. It’s a warm,
welcoming space where stories come alive, connections are forged, and the
hum of community fills the air. If you’ve ever wanted to step into a book lover’s
paradise, complete with a beautiful 19th-century house and sprawling gardens,
The Ivy is where you’ll find it.
For 23 years, The Ivy has been a
beacon for readers, writers and anyone who treasures the written word. “I
never intended to own a bookstore,”
says Emma Snyder, the third owner of
this long-revered shop. “I grew up here
and then lived all over. One year at the
Baltimore Book Festival, I met The Ivy’s
previous owner, Ed Berlin, and a few
years later he suggested that I take over
the store from him. There was a lot of
serendipity involved, but I feel really
fortunate to have ended up doing something that feels as sincere and exciting
as running this bookstore.” Her global
experiences have shaped her approach
to running the store, making her deeply
aware of the power of books to connect
people and expand horizons.
It has retained its reputation as a
hub for literary and cultural activity in
Baltimore, still personal, with a smalltown vibe that makes you feel like you’re
a part of something special the moment
you step through the door.
A Fresh Start in a New Home
In 2020, The Ivy moved from its
original location in the Lake Falls Village
Shopping Center to its current home, a
grand old house nestled on three acres
of lush gardens. The house, once occupied by the Divine Life Church, radiates
peace and inspiration. The gardens?
“They are open to the public daily from
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” says Snyder. “They’re
the kind of place where you can lose
track of time, whether you’re picnicking,
reading or just soaking up the sunshine.”
The move wasn’t just about finding a
bigger, prettier space. It was about creating a sanctuary where books and nature
could come together to offer a moment
of pause in our busy, tech-driven lives.
Snyder’s vision shines through in every
corner of the shop and its grounds, from
the thoughtfully curated bookshelves to
the picnic tables in the garden that seem
to whisper, “Stay a while.”
What sets The Ivy apart from your
average bookshop is its commitment to
community. This isn’t just a place to grab
a bestseller and leave; it’s a space where
readers gather, friendships are formed
and conversations flow. The Ivy hosts
over 300 events a year – everything from
intimate author readings to lively poetry
nights and kid-friendly story hours.
“We have a team of 25 booksellers,”
Snyder explains, “who work in the shop
and help our customers. We average
about six people per shift. And they
don’t just sell books – they love them.
They’re deep and curious readers, the
kind of people who can’t wait to recommend that book they fell in love with just
moments ago, sparking a ripple effect of
curiosity and discovery.”
One story from Snyder sums it up
perfectly: “This holiday season, one day
a customer special-ordered a lesserknown Aldous Huxley book for the holidays. The cover caught my eye when he
was purchasing it, so I ordered a copy
for the shop. Then, the staff member
who was shelving it got curious, so he
took it home. Before long, the book was
reordered and put on display, all because
of that ripple effect of curiosity, from our
community to us and back again. That’s
the kind of magic that happens at The
Ivy.”
Local partnerships with institutions
like the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the
Baltimore County Public Library, JHU The
Alexander Grass Humanities Institute,
and Smartish Pace (a poetry and art
journal), to name a few, make the programming even richer. Whether you’re
into sci-fi, romance or discussing the latest literary trends, there’s something for
everyone at The Ivy. The themed events,
like “Hot L Poets” and “Charm City
Spec,” have become regular favorites
among the literary crowd.
The Ivy also goes the extra mile for
