Erin Lanahan 
Local bookstores not only carry hundreds of stories on their shelves, but they can also provide helpful insight from a knowledgeable bookseller, hold engaging community events, and support other local organizations. A Montclair bookstore has been recognized as the top bookstore in the country because of those reasons, proving once again that the best things can be found in New Jersey. Watchung Booksellers at 54 Fairfield Street received the title of Bookstore of the Year for 2026 from Publishers Weekly. The bookstore has been a fixture of the Montclair community for decades. Read on to learn about Watchung Booksellers and the Bookstore of the Year award.
Photo Credit: Watchung Booksellers
About Watchung Booksellers
Kathy Linsk founded Watchung Booksellers in 1991 at 33 Watchung Plaza, on the second floor above the old Bradner’s Pharmacy. In 1996, Margot Sage-EL and Trina Rogers became the new owners of Watchung Booksellers, then moved the shop to its current location in 2001. At the time, there were five indie bookstores in Montclair. In 2026, there are now two: Watchung Booksellers and the Montclair Book Center at 221 Glenridge Avenue.
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Margot’s daughter, Maddie Ciliotta-Young, bought the bookstore in 2023 and now manages both Watchung Booksellers and The Kids’ Room.
The Kids’ Room is just four doors down from Watchung Booksellers and is a dedicated space for books and other merch for babies through young adults. The store also holds different events, like children’s author readings, book clubs, storytimes, and more.
The independent community bookstore carries a wide variety of books on its shelves. Think literary fiction, nonfiction, mystery, romance, travel, cooking, arts, gifts, and more. The store is a force in the literary community. On top of holding in-store events, the bookstore also partners with several organizations throughout the Montclair community, including the Montclair Literary Festival, the Montclair Public Library, Montclair Film, and Montclair State University.
The Bookstore Of The Year
With all of the amazing work Watchung Booksellers does for its community, it’s no surprise Publishers Weekly named the Montclair business the Bookstore of the Year. This award recognizes an independent bookstore out of the thousands across the country for excellence in community engagement, innovation, and bookselling expertise.
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“We have a very literary community here in Montclair,” owner Maddie Ciliotta-Young told Publishers Weekly. “We don’t follow bestseller lists, so it’s nice to have this literary community; it helps us choose books that are a little bit more interesting and off the beaten path, and take a chance on debut authors.”
Maddie says the people working at Watchung Booksellers contribute equally to the store’s success. Each bookseller owns their own section of the store, and if they are passionate about a particular genre, they could end up doing the buying for that genre.
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While many people may resort to Amazon for a quick purchase of the latest release, there is still something special about visiting a local bookstore and getting to support small businesses. Maddie told Publishers Weekly that sales have increased since the pandemic ended. Plus, sales at The Kids Room are increasing as the store continues to hold events like school visits, book fairs, and other weekend programming.
Maddie also praised the Montclair community and attributed the bookstore’s success to the community’s support. “I think people very much want us here, and so they’re willing to shop here, even though it might be cheaper or faster somewhere else. We don’t take that for granted, so we try and give back as much as we can and connect with the community as much as we can,” Maddie told Publishers Weekly. “We want to give people things that an algorithm or an internet experience can’t give them.”
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