After two years at 701 Cumberland St. in downtown Lebanon, Michael Cantor has moved Salamander Books and Music to Annville – but that’s not all.
Cantor has purchased the landmark Allen Theater, the county’s last single-screen movie house, from longtime owners Ed and Sue Felty, and has relocated his used books and music store to the building’s adjacent cafe space, long known as the Backstage Cafe.
The newly combined businesses at 36 E. Main St. are now known as the Allen Theater and Salamander Bookstore Cafe.
Before the May 2022 move to Lebanon, Cantor had operated Salamander at locations in Annville and Palmyra. He’s been selling used books for over 20 years, going back to the original Salamander Books he opened in Baltimore.
Cantor’s wife is on the faculty at Lebanon Valley College.
A good bookstore is more than just a place to buy used paperbacks and old record albums. It’s a social hub, where curious people can meet face-to-face to discuss current events, art and culture, and agree or respectfully disagree.
“That’s always been stimulating to me,” Cantor said, “because [bookstores and cafes] have always been a real nexus for healthy rhetoric. People come in and get in conversations for an hour or more sometimes.”
The tradition goes back to Greek times, Cantor said. “That element of discussion about current events, art, and creativity is such a needed component for a culture to survive.”
Cantor hopes that the combination of the Allen’s proven drawing power, the proximity to Lebanon Valley College, and increased foot traffic compared to his previous county locations will lead to a successful venture in Annville.
The bookstore veteran has an interesting take on electronic books vs. traditional paper volumes. “Things went down hugely when the Kindle hit,” Cantor said, but there appears to be a resurgence of interest in real books, especially among younger readers.
“My thought is the general population is always looking for novelty, so when the Kindle hit, that was the new novelty, and books became passé,” he said. “But to the younger generation, the Kindle and online reading are not novelties, so books to them are a novelty. I’m very pleased with the number of young readers who are coming in.
“Parents seem to be pushing their kids to read. I see a lot of high school kids who want to read science fiction and fantasy.”
Overall, Cantor sees a strong interest in books among all ages. “We have a lot of what I call ‘blue collar scholars,’ people who have regular jobs but a scholarly interest in something, people who are just curious. They’re always looking for material.”
On the theater side, Cantor said he’s not competing with multi-screen chain theaters. “I want to have a movie house that takes advantage of patrons who aren’t just here to watch a movie, they’re coming to the Allen to see a classic movie in a classic theater.”
Cantor will emphasize what he calls “modern classic” films. Starting June 28, the Allen will be showing “Ghost Dog, The Way of the Samurai” starring Forest Whitaker. The 1999 film tells the story of an African-American Mafia killer who models himself after ancient samurai warriors and learns that the mob wants him dead.
Read More:
- Allen Theater & Salamander Bookstore Cafe website
- Annville’s Allen Theater quietly goes up for sale
- Co-founder of Allen Theatre, Allen “Skip” Hicks, leaves a rich legacy in Annville
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