Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christina Rosso-Schneider. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Christina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I have always loved books! And as a writer, I always dreamed of opening an independent bookstore. My husband and I opened A Novel Idea on Passyunk about a year and a half after I completed my MFA in Creative Writing. Through the program, I met so many incredible writers and began to immerse myself in the vibrant Philly lit community. One thing I noticed was a lack of small press titles in local bookshops, and so that became the core of A Novel Idea’s mission–to feature local authors, from national bestsellers to small press and self-published ones we met through open mics, community events, and more. This is one of the ways our shop sets itself apart from other bookstores, and our focus on supporting local artists and writers doesn’t stop there! We have an artist spotlight (where multimedia work by a local artist is displayed), sell local artisans’ wares, and collaborate with artists, artisans, and educators on events, ranging from author talks to workshops.

I believe all writers (and all artists, for that matter) deserve shelf space at local businesses. It’s been amazing to see books by friends on our shelves, and even two of my own small press titles. Representation matters, and not every store is willing to take a chance on an unknown, small press author. I hope my shop’s dedication to this gives writers hope and inspiration to keep going.

Christina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A Novel Idea on Passyunk is a community-minded independent bookstore and event space. I co-own the shop with my husband, Alex, and we opened our doors in December 2018. We are a queer, woman-owned business, with a focus on local authors and artisans. We have a dedicated section of the shop featuring books by Philly authors, as well as small presses. This focus and dedication to supporting and highlighting local artists is the main thing that sets us apart from other bookstores. We are also known for our interest in the occult; we host a monthly witch book club, magic classes, sell tarot decks, and more.

My background is in writing and community events. I have an MFA in Creative Writing and MA in Literature from Arcadia University. I graduated in 2016, and the following year began to host an open mic called Community Drafts. Since 2016, I have taught writing courses at various universities in the Greater Philadelphia area, various nonprofits, and since the shop opened in 2018, at A Novel Idea. In 2020, my debut chapbook She is a Beast was published by APEP Publications, and in 2021, my debut full-length collection Creole Conjure was published by Maudlin House.

In 2017, my husband (then fiance) and I felt stuck in our jobs. At the time, I was an adjunct, a writing tutor, and a historic tour guide at Eastern State Penitentiary. Alex was a graphic design and Twitch affiliate. We had little time for ourselves, let alone each other, and so one evening we were walking around our neighborhood in South Philadelphia and we came upon an empty storefront. I told Alex, “This would be a great spot for a bookstore.” And, luckily for me, my partner is very supportive, and said, “Hey, we could open a bookstore.” From there, we dived into research and fundraising, opening about a year and a half later. We believed A Novel Idea would be a perfect combination of our talents and work experience and best of all, it was something we could do together.

Since opening in 2018, our tiny shop (only 800 square feet and just the two of us!) has hosted over 1,000 events, the majority of which were free to the public and featured local artists. We’ve almost closed several times–once in 2020 due to the pandemic and in July 2023 after a year of zero growth. We were days away from closing and the community singlehandedly kept us open. That’s what I’m most proud of. Even though it was hard, we asked for help. We leaned on the community we had built and grown alongside for five years. That’s to me what a small business is–an extension of the community.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

In July 2023, we found ourselves in the perfect storm of a financial crisis. Summer is always quiet, but the spring had been equally (and unusually) quiet. Tax payments had gone out. Rent for the business was due. We had two part-time employees at the time, as well as ourselves to pay. We were in debt about $10,000. We didn’t have enough money in the business account to even place an order (and we order hundreds of titles every week for the shop). So, my husband and I sat down and said what do we do?

We’re not the kind of folks who like to ask for help. We’re more likely to grit our teeth and figure a way forward. But there wasn’t a way forward. So, we decided to ask the community for help. We created a GoFundMe asking for $10,000, and trust me when I say we didn’t even think we’d get that much.

Well, the community responded immediately and enthusiastically. We received $30,000 in donations and for six weeks the bookstore was the busiest it’s ever been. The community singlehandedly saved us and we’re forever grateful.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met my co-owner/husband on Tinder! We matched in 2015 and have been together ever since. It’s funny because neither of us was looking for something serious and we were exclusive from our first date. We got married six weeks before we opened the bookstore, which is my/our only regret. It was such a busy and chaotic time, and it would have been nice to be able to focus on one huge thing at a time instead of two. My favorite thing about working with my spouse is that I get to go to work with them and come home with them. It’s really the best (though during lockdown in 2020, it was a lot and we lovingly “emotionally distanced” from each other in our small rowhome).

It’s also worth noting we had our first date just a few doors away from what is now the bookstore. East Passyunk has been an integral part of our love story and our shop’s story!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.anovelideaphilly.com + https://christina-rosso.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anovelideaphilly/ + https://www.instagram.com/christinarossoschneider/

Image Credits

The photo of me in front of the Philly/Small Press section is by Tammy Bradshaw Photography. The rest of the photos don’t need credit.