Publishers Weekly's Pre-BEA issue (April 28) had a roundup of bookstores that out of town and international visitors might make some time to visit. We noted that each store had its own style and personality, reflected in the books they carry and the art showcased on the walls. To choose among the dozens of bookstores in the city, we asked several authors and booksellers to be our guide. Here it is again for those who might have missed the feature and want to check out some of these fabulous stores.
For those coming into Grand Central Station or staying at the Grand Hyatt New York, this year's ABA bookseller hotel, the best place to start is Posman Books. Its Grand Central store (9 Grand Central Terminal in Grand Central Station) carries a selection of 30, 000 titles. It has two additional stores, one in Rockefeller Center (30 Rockefeller Plaza) and the other in Chelsea Market (75 Ninth Ave.)
Near the Chelsea store is 11-year-old 192 Books (192 10th Ave.), a general bookstore with new, rare, and out-of-print titles. Owned by the Paula Cooper Gallery owners and located near "gallery row, " 192 Books has an especially strong selection of art books and often displays art by artists shown by the gallery, like the current exhibit of photographs by Eliot Porter. The bookstore is also one of three small New York City favorites of Ann Patchett, author and Parnassus Books co-owner. Her other picks are Crawford Doyle Booksellers (1082 Madison Ave.) on the Upper East Side and Three Lives & Company (154 W. 10th St.) in Greenwich Village.
"I love [them] all for the same reason, " says Patchett (This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage). "They show that a great bookstore can be made out of very few square feet if you have a brilliant buyer who really understands what their customers want, a warm staff that make you feel welcome in their home—because going into a small store is very much like going into someone's small apartment, and a deeply creative use of space so that the books are well displayed without feeling crammed in."
Three Lives is an Anne Rice favorite as well. "I had some of the most memorable signings there. Marvelous people. The crowds attending had a distinct personality, like no other in Manhattan."
For children's books, visit one or both New York City institutions, 44-year-old Bank Street Books, part of Bank Street College (2879 Broadway) or Books of Wonder (18 W. 18th St.), founded in 1980. Author V.E. Schwab (The Unbound) calls the latter "an incredible store. It has a wonderful selection, much of it signed, and they host spectacular events, from debuts to blockbuster names. Ever since I first started writing, it's been a dream of mine to be shelved there, and I still get worked up when I see my books in their stock."
Books of Wonder is also among the picks for Tim Federle (Five, Six, Seven, Nate!). "I love Books of Wonder, because it's like a magic old-timey candy shop full of no-calorie stories, " he says, while adding two other favorites: "Housing Works in SoHo boasts amazing events and deals, and there's no place like The Strand (828 Broadway) to get yourself lost, and get a good book found."
What distinguishes the Strand, with its "miles of books, " from other bookstores, according to marketing manager Brianne Sperber, is "its ability to maintain a smalltown, local feel, despite the store's size and vast collection. Apart from the bargains and rare finds, what I can say above and beyond is that both our customers and booksellers are people who just really, really love books."
Unlike the Strand, or any other bookstore in the city, for that matter, Housing Works Bookstore Cafe (126 Crosby St.) is a nonprofit with a volunteer staff, and all its books are donated, including some from PW. The proceeds go to Housing Works Inc., which provides services for homeless New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. "We're often told, " says Amanda Bullock, director of public programming, "that the store, which has great dark wood bookcases, complete with rolling ladders and spiral staircases to our mezzanine, feels like a hidden treasure and a sanctuary in the craziness of SoHo."
McNally Jackson Books in Nolita (52 Prince St.) is another sanctuary for visitors and locals alike, which includes a separate upscale "office supply" store, McNally Jackson Store: Goods for the Study. The Strand's Sperber singles it out as one of the independents that reflect the "quirks and charms" of its neighborhood.
Chris Doeblin, owner of Book Culture (526 W. 112th St. and 2915 Broadway), also tries to carry inventory reflective of his community at both his stores in Morningside Heights, next to Columbia University. "Our neighborhood defines us to a great extent, " he says, "and we reflect that in our stock. I think we are a little different from other bookshops, in our small size and in our nonbook merchandise. We have chosen to embrace selling merchandise that is not books and we pay particular care to that part of our business."
