Who needs delivery trucks when you have horses?
While most bookstores are busy figuring out how to get books into customers’ hands, one Black-owned bookstore in Philadelphia has decided to bring back an old-school delivery method. And honestly, it might be the coolest thing happening in the book business right now.
Harriett’s Bookshop, founded by Jeannine A. Cook in 2020, has found a unique way to deliver books to customers. Instead of relying entirely on cars, motorcycles, or delivery vans, the bookstore has teamed up with local horseback riders to occasionally bring books through the streets of Philadelphia. Yes, actual horses!
Cook partnered with the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club in 2021 to make the unusual deliveries happen. The collaboration brought together two important parts of Philadelphia’s culture: horseback riding and storytelling.
Forget tracking your package on an app. Imagine looking outside and seeing a horse arriving with your latest book order. That’s certainly one way to make sure the neighbors know your reading habits are getting serious.
But there is much more to Harriett’s Bookshop than its creative delivery service.
Cook opened the bookstore with a clear mission. She wanted to create a space celebrating women authors, artists, and activists. The shop also honors the legacy of Harriet Tubman, the legendary abolitionist who helped enslaved people escape to freedom.
The bookstore quickly became more than just a place to purchase books. It became a cultural space where stories, history, creativity, and community come together.
And unlike some businesses that enjoy a little viral attention before disappearing into the internet’s forgotten corners, Harriett’s is still going strong in 2026.
Cook continues to operate the Fishtown bookstore while expanding her creative projects. She also hosts book-focused trolley tours, runs a traveling Paris pop-up called Josephine’s, and tours with her own memoir.
Apparently, running one bookstore wasn’t enough. Cook decided to add international pop-ups, trolley tours, and horseback deliveries to the schedule.
At a time when independent bookstores face plenty of challenges, Harriett’s Bookshop is proving that creativity and community can make a business stand out.
So, if a horse suddenly appears outside your home carrying a book, don’t panic. Your delivery might simply be coming from one of Philadelphia’s most interesting bookstores.
