The heart of Midtown Harrisburg soon will see some significant changes as Midtown Scholar Bookstore and a popular bakery both expect to expand.
Midtown Scholar plans to take space in the front portion of the building next door at 1300 N. 3rd St. Bookstore co-owner Eric Papenfuse said he wants to link the buildings through an internal doorway and use the space to increase his selection of new releases and popular titles.
“We want to be able to offer everything in the book world–soup to nuts–so you never have to go to Barnes & Noble,” said Papenfuse, who owns both buildings along with his wife, Catherine Lawrence.
The new space also will feature an area for events and meetings.
Increasingly, Midtown Scholar has become a center for community gatherings, lectures and concerts, requiring another area to hold events, said Papenfuse. In addition, many events are simply too small for the bookstore’s large main stages, but would be perfect for a more intimate space in a separate room, he said.
The storefront last was occupied by Garden Fresh Market & Deli, which consolidated into the Broad Street Market in November.
A popular bakery, P&R Baked Goods & Desserts, plans to relocate from the Broad Street Market to the back of the same building, said bakery co-owner Nora Proctor.
Proctor said the larger space will allow her to expand her hours and offer sandwiches and other prepared foods, in addition to her popular cookies, cakes and other baked items. She expects to make the move around April 1.
Proctor and her husband, Ed, have operated out of the Broad Street Market for about five years and have been supplying baked foods to Midtown Scholar for re-sale.
Papenfuse said he expects to build another entry to the building off of Verbeke Street, which will allow P&R customers to enter the shop directly without needing to go through the bookstore.
