Walking along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the area's main commercial section, does not usually evoke images of quiet, small town in the mind of residents and visitors. National chain retailers and restaurants such as the Body Shop and the Coffee Beanery line these streets. In recent years, independently owned and operated businesses, that for a time dominated the storefronts of Georgetown, have become somewhat of rarity. Bridge to a Bygone Era Bridge Street Books sits snugly in the middle of a row of storefronts near the Four Seasons hotel on the edge of Georgetown.
Books fill the walls from the floor to the ceiling of the store's small, narrow space.
A tight staircase, lined with old-fashioned illustrations of baseball diamonds and players, leads upstairs. The second floor is reminiscent of an attic with its confined area, dim lighting, low ceiling and hundreds of books. According to owner Philip Levy, the store has physically changed little since opening on June 27, 1980. After nearly 20 years, the only major renovation Levy has made is an addition to the back of the store and the relocation of the staircase from the back to the front. Levy's venture into the book business grew out of his lifelong love of books.