Book Barn burglarized, rare books stolen

EAST BRADFORD >> Baldwin’s Book Barn, a Chester County landmark and one of the most unique usedbook businesses in the country, was broken into over the weekend, and several valuable books stolen, the store’s manager said Monday.

The thieves were apparently well aware of what they were after, said manager Carol Rauch, taking the most expensive items and leaving behind the rest.

Rauch said that workers were in the process of installing a modern security system and a new lock on the front door.

“A little after the horse got away, or left the barn, so to speak,” she said in an interview.

William and Lilla Baldwin established their used-book and collectible business in 1934 in nearby Wilmington, Del., but in 1946 they moved to “The Barn,” a building from 1822 that sits just south of West Chester on Route 52. The old milking house was converted into a residence for the Baldwin family and the stone barn became the bookshop and for some years, a country store museum.

Rauch said the Baldwins now live in Florida, and were notified of the burglary on Sunday. She said they were distressed, and immediately ordered the new security system installed.

According to Rauch, store staffer Fred Danoway arrived at the barn around 10 a.m. to open up and found the glass on the front door broken. The thieves were able to reach in and unlock the door, she said.

Inside, they went right to two glass cases near the cash register that contained the store’s most prized possession. They broke the glass and loaded the contents of the cases, then escaped while also taking with them an oil painting of the barn done by local artist Sherry McVickar that hung on the wall near the register.

“It’s a mess,” she said of the store’s interior. The thieves had also broken six smaller side windows into the barn to determine whether there was an alarm system in place.

Rauch said that the stolen items included leather-bound books from the 1700s, first editions of such classics

as “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a novel by John Steinbeck, and other pieces. She estimated the value of the stolen merchandise as between

$5,000 and $10,000.

She noted with relief, however, that the staff had just last week removed a set of Jane Austen novels that would have fetched about

$1,200. She theorized that those responsible would now try to sell the items to book collectors. “There are book thieves all over, you know,” she said.

The store advertises itself as being “stuffed to the rafters” with a treasure trove of 300,000 used and rare books, manuscripts, maps, fine paintings, prints, estate antiques, and other valued collectibles.

West Chester police are investigating.