An antique barn filled with vintage books?
Why yes, my friends, there exists such a fairy-tale place!
Baldwin’s Book Barn is located in the enchanting Brandywine Valley area of historic Chester County, Pennsylvania. And this place is the unicorn of all book lover’s fantasies!
It looks like a movie set, but this place is the real deal.
Way back in 1934, William and Lilla Baldwin established their used book store in nearby Wilmington, DE. In 1946, the Baldwin’s purchased a large rural property in Chester County with an old milking house they converted into a residence and a large stone barn which became the bookshop as well as a country store & museum.
William & Lilla Baldwin, founders of Baldwin’s Book Barn
The actual barn was built in 1822 and is a five-story building with massive, thick stone walls, heavy wooden doors, wood-burning stoves, and hundreds upon hundreds of bookshelves.
Generations of locals have come to this place for solace from the modern world and a taste of local history.
The Book Barn houses rare, antiquarian, out-of-print books as well as thousands of used books, maps, prints, paintings, estate antiques, and various collectibles.
Could you just imagine wandering around in here, searching for treasures? House Crazy Sarah wouldn’t come up for air for weeks!
According to the official website, the Book Barn “is stuffed to the rafters with a treasure trove of 300,000” books.
House Crazy Sarah had heart palpitations when she first found this place on the interwebs.
It has all the ingredients of her favorite things: books, antiques, history, old barn converted into something it was never meant to be. Pure magic!
And one other thing that makes the Book Barn irresistible:
The resident pets!
Baldwin’s Book Barn now holds a prominent spot on House Crazy Sarah’s bucket list.
In this crazy world where things pop and change at lightning speed, this place is a welcome respite where time stands still.
So you see, my book-loving, old barn-loving friends – dreams do come true!
Sources:
Baldwin’s Book Barn Facebook page
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