Burke's Books

Burke's Book Store, which has survived the depression and two World Wars, was begun in 1875 as a family business and stayed that way for 3 generations. Walter Burke Sr. gave birth to Burke's Book Store on Main Street shortly after the Civil War, selling books, newspapers, slates, tin toys, and then, beginning in 1946, public and parochial school textbooks. Bill Burke, who was born above the bookstore, followed in his father's footsteps and, in 1950, began selling used and antiquarian books. In the sixties, during that great urban purge known as Urban Renewal, Burke's moved eastward to 634 Poplar, in among the pawnshops, and the original Main St. building and surrounding neighborhood was razed. In the 1970s, after the death of Bill Burke, Burke's Book Store was sold to Diana Crump. She, in turn, sold it to Harriette Beeson in the mid 80s. Harriette moved the store in 1988 to its third location at 1719 Poplar.