We’ve got crushes on cool little bookstores. We don’t try to hide it: we love looking at ’em, visiting ’em at all hours, and most importantly, we aren’t afraid to share ’em. For all our summer-visiting friends, we’ve compiled a couple of the best spots in our neck of the woods. You might know it as ‘the greatest city in the world’, according to Hamilton, and who are we to argue with a Tony-winner like Lin-Manuel Miranda?
WORD
(Images: Tina Ramchandani / Life in Sketch and Literary Hub)
WORD is a bookshop success story: a quirky group of young people put all their quirkiness and elbow grease into a business. The wide array of bookstuffs – cookbooks, paperback fiction, greeting cards – are so unique, it becomes a cultural hangout. There’s truly something for every reader here.
Location: 126 Franklin Street, at the corner of Noble Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenlight Bookstore
(Images: Beth Levendis / Time Out New York and Greenlight Bookstore)
Think bookstores are shuttering these days? Think again. Through a grant from the Brooklyn Public Library, all-star author drop-ins and tons of children’s workshops, Greenlight was able to open right in the thrust of the recession in 2009. Its hardworking attitude is how it maintains its strong, devoted following today.
Location: 686 Fulton Street, between South Elliot Place and South Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
BookCourt
(Images: Literary Hub and BookCourt)
This 35-year bookselling soldier has seen the neighborhood change several times over the years, but the community’s rally around the owners has kept it a local institution. It’s reward (and thereby our reward) for sticking with it is a gorgeous, sky-lit greenhouse and a massive children’s book section.
Location: 163 Court Street, between Dean and Amity Streets in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
McNally Jackson Books
(Images: Yukie Ohta / New York Unbound Books and Nolita Hearts)
Two floors, secret reading nooks, a classy and artsy design? What can you expect from a downtown store in the heart of high culture? McNally Jackson’s gives off a sleek cosmopolitan vibe, from arranging its titles my nation to its in-store café. If that doesn’t interest you, maybe the on-site printing press will peak your interest.
Location: 52 Prince Street, between Lafayette and Mulberry Streets in Nolita
The Strand
(Images: Lal Beral / Creative Commons and Indecisive Traveler)
The Strand has the special honor of being both one of the most enduring independent businesses and one of the five monuments even your grandma can most likely recognize in New York. The “18 Miles of Books” is no joke, and they have an unparalleled rare books section.
Location: 828 Broadway, between 12th and 13th Streets in the East Village
192 Books
(Images: Sarah Novi? and 192 Books)
This seculded little number has made itself stand out by placing an emphasis on the intersection of literature and art. On top of the traditional readings and community events, 192 also stages small exhibitions from renowned visual artists.