The Ivy to Host A Pop-Up Holiday Bookshop Inside Historic Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church

On December 4, The Ivy Bookshop will launch a holiday pop-up inside the iconic Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, now known as Mount Vernon Place Church.  The festive pop-up ties in with the 54^th annual Monument Lighting in Mount Vernon Square and will run through Christmas Eve, December 24.

Acquired this summer by newly formed UNITE Mount Vernon, the famous “Green” Church has stood at 2 East Mount Vernon Place since its doors first opened in 1872. With its soaring spires, unique stone walls, and glowing stained glass, the neo-Gothic Church is a prominent feature of the Mount Vernon and Baltimore cityscape. UNITE’s mission is to preserve, restore, and carry the building forward as a thriving center for Baltimore’s cultural and historic core. 

The Ivy Bookshop, thrilled to collaborate in this transformative mission, will reimagine the Church vestibule as an intimate holiday bookstore. The bookstore will operate from noon to 6pm, Thursday through Sunday starting on December 4 and closing on December 24. 

Within the sanctuary itself, the Ivy team will curate an installation featuring books linked to the story of the Church. Drawing on aspects of the Church’s history, a process of associative book curation will spark exploration and imagination in this splendid and inspiring space.

The Ivy’s pop-up bookshop and installation will open on December 4 at noon in anticipation of the annual lighting of the Washington Monument that evening. At 3:30 pm, The Ivy pop-up will also serve as the start point for an historical walking tour of Mount Vernon, developed by Chris Riehl of Baltimore-Rent-A-Tour. Choral music by The New Choir of Mount Vernon will fill the sanctuary during the evening, as The Ivy invites holiday revelers inside to explore, admire, and browse. 

Explains Emma Snyder, owner of The Ivy Bookshop: “At the Ivy, we conceive of retail as installation art, and bookstores as collaborative experiments in creating the social fabric of a community. 

“The opportunity to activate this architecturally significant building in the heart of our City, using books as a means of inviting people inside the stunning space to dream about its future, is thrilling. 

“UNITE Mount Vernon represents an inspiring model for community reimagination of important social spaces. And books are a natural framework to help reflect on the Church’s past and explore its possibilities. 

“Collaborating with UNITE feels like the best holiday present ever!” 

Hannah Fenster, events manager of The Ivy Bookshop, adds: “At the Ivy, we see again and again the ways books connect people to one another in real time. They show us a way to imagine new possibilities together. Books are shorthand for history and fable, science and reflection. They allow us to riff associatively on places and ideas. We’re honored to invite that spirit into the Mount Vernon Place Church, where books will highlight the church’s long history and inspire new visions.

“There’s nowhere better than Baltimore to turn old stories into new stories!”

The Ivy also looks forward to collaborating on December 18 with UNITE Mount Vernon’s Holiday Concert. A first for the iconic Church, the Concert features renowned vocalist and composer Clayton Bryant. Winner of Grammy and American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) awards, Clayton has performed and composed for projects with artists around the globe, including Elton John, Billy Joel, Whitney Houston, and Stevie Wonder. Cabaret artist Mariah Bonner and pianist-songwriter Marcus Dagan will open the show.

UNITE Mount Vernon acquired the Church from the Baltimore-Washington United Methodist Conference in July 2025. The non-profit will preserve, restore, and repurpose the structure as a sustainable, multi-use hub, blending historic preservation with creative programming and a commitment to open and accessible use. As part of the acquisition, a 50-year lease allows the Mount Vernon United Methodist congregation to continue Sunday worship in the Church. The Little Miracles daycare center for children will return to the lower level in 2026.For more information, please contact Jack Danna, president, UNITE Mount Vernon, at jackanthonydanna@gmail.com or info@unitemv.org, or Hannah Fenster, Events Manager, The Ivy Bookshop, at hannah@theivybookshop.com.