Are you a book lover that lives in or near, or is traveling to, NYC and you’re searching for the best New York City bookshops? Let me tell you that NYC really has some cool and famous places + other, off the beaten path spots that you should check out. In this post, you can find a curated list, per borough, of the Best Bookstores in NYC according to me, a Native New Yorker.
If there is one thing that you can say about New Yorkers is that they love books! New York City is a place where bookstores are still very much welcomed, especially the small, independent ones. Having some of the most educated citizens from all over the world living here has a tremendous impact on the reading culture in and around the city, and is continuing to leave a trail that wants to be emulated by younger generations.
So, if you happen to be in NYC, and are looking for new reading material, then you’ve definitely found yourself in the right place! Let’s go through the list, borough by borough, shall we?
The Best Bookstores in New York City
New York City Bookshops: Best Bookstores in Manhattan
Strand Bookstore
This one is one of the most popular bookstores in the city, and is known by almost every New Yorker who has spent more than a month living in the city. It’s a place where you can drop off your own books for donation, and browse through the classics, as well as more specialized sections, such as food-, travel-, or health-related books.
It gets crowded fast, but it’s a great store and, occasionally, you’ll see people on the subway or walking along the street carrying their fandom of the store around, their Strand-shopping bag, with them. Because ‘yes,’ you can also buy gifts and souvenirs there!
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Namaste Bookshop
This one is ideal for all of your spiritual needs! It’s a specialized bookstore that has a wide variety of books on meditation, healing, spirituality, religion and various philosophies. And it happens to be very close to Strand, your first stop, in case you want to save time and visit one after the other.
Shakespeare and Co.
This bookstore is designed for textbooks, mainly for Hunter and Marymount Manhattan College, but everyone is welcome, and it’s a nice stop for non-textbooks browsing as well. It has a cute café inside, so it’s easy to get lost for a while and sip coffee while reading a page or two.
Westsider Rare and Used Books Inc.
Ah, one of my absolute favorites! It’s a haven for collectors, since they sell many precious first editions. We should all be happy that it’s still around, because in 2019, it was THIS close to shutting its doors for good!
But by sheer luck, and through a Gofundme page that raised enough money, they were able to stay open for business. Locals pulled together and wouldn’t let this gold mine of a bookstore die out. It also sells music albums; another rarity in this day and age.
Kinokuniya New York (Best Japanese bookstore in NYC)
I honestly would have never given this store a second look, if a friend wouldn’t have forced me to go inside. Located right across Bryant Park, it seemed like just another Barnes and Nobles type-tourist trap, but let me tell you, it is not!
It’s a Japanese bookstore with a Western twist. On the first floor, you’ll encounter all the modern, current books, and on the second floor you are entering Anime heaven. It’s a diverse and very unique store with a little bit for everybody. On the lower floor, you’ll find magazines, another small shop that is separate from the bookstore, language books, and stationery.
Argosy Bookstore
Did I just time-travel? This will be your first thought upon entering Argosy Bookstore. It’s a magnificent and majestic looking shop, straight out of a 1920s movie depicting the Roaring Twenties.
In a way, that makes sense, since the store has been around since 1925! It’s enormous, with its 6 stories, and sells mainly out- of -print, antique and rare books.
The Drama Bookshop Inc.
If you’ve ever been involved with an actor or have tried acting yourself, you know that there’s a whole niche of books related to acting. In acting school, teachers will tell you to read and study them religiously, and constantly give you assignments to read a play and do character work.
Well, the store to find all of these books quickly is The Drama Bookshop Inc. Mostly everyone you’ll encounter in this store are theater people and drama students and, if you have just one ounce of love and passion for acting and/or theater, then you will definitely want to pay a visit to this iconic shop.
Assouline
Assouline has 3 locations around the City, but the one that I’m referring, which is my favorite, is the one located at the Plaza Hotel, mostly because of its great surroundings.
From the store’s balcony, you can see the beautiful lobby of the hotel and, while there, why not purchase some of the Plaza’s gifts, their coffee table book or one of their specialties? It’s two shopping opportunities for visiting this one location!
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Bluestockings
Some may call it radical, but I call it an essential bookstore that addresses some of the most important topics of the 21st century, such as feminism, politics, inequality… you name it!
For an activist, this bookstore on the Lower East Side is a must visit. They even host regular workshops about these topics and, believe it or not, it is run entirely by committed volunteers. You go, Bluestockings!
Mysterious Bookshop
Located in the financial district, this is a true gem in the neighborhood. I’m sure that you’ve already guessed, based on the name, that its specialties are crime and mystery books, some of which are rare finds. It’s perfect for all the Sherlock Holmes lovers and hobby-detectives!
McNally Jackson
Wonderful, diverse bookshop with loads to offer, from book clubs to regular events, to the newest bestsellers readily available for purchase. The main location is in SOHO, with a café attached to it, but there are 2 more bookshops in Brooklyn.
Revolution Books (Cool Bookstore in Harlem)
It’s also a bit radical, but maybe in a less intimidating way for some than the Bluestockings. It’s an indie-bookstore with a vintage feel to it.
Small, yet cozy, and it still sells the antiquated…here it comes: DVD’s! Harlem isn’t known for its bookshops, but this one definitely adds an element of curiosity to the neighborhood.
New York City Bookshops: Best bookstores in Brooklyn
Community Bookstore
Charming neighborhood store for the whole community, hence the inviting name! Very family-friendly, and its offerings are an array of books for adults, as well as adolescents and young children.
It has the classics and newest bestsellers, and combines both quite well. When in Park Slope, check it out!
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Molasses Books
Bushwick is changing by the minute, and a new addition is this bookstore, which lets you trade in your own books for a glass of beer or wine at the bar. How amazing is it to find a bookstore that also has a great bar? It’s pretty unique, that’s for sure!
On a side note, they also sell coffee, just in case you’re not into mixing your drinking and book browsing. Must mention that they have a happy hour from 6-8pm, so keep that in mind when you plan your visit. Best of all, the majority of their books are dirt cheap, especially the $1 book selections in front of the store! It’s a win-win situation for everyone!
Quimby’s Bookstore
You would expect this store to be exactly where it is, which is trendy Williamsburg. It’s focused on books for and about the LGBTQ community, and it rocks!
It’s a refreshingly, fun place to visit, supporting self-published writers and local artists in every way possible. The owner is awesome. It gets 5 stars from me every single time!
New York City Bookshops: Best bookstores in Queens
Kew and Willow Books
It’s THE bookstore in Kew Gardens and perfect for locals to gather! It attracts a crowd of children, youngsters, as well as well-read academics. They accept online orders, which is a huge plus, and sell their own merchandise to support the store.
Another Favorite: A perfect day in Queens, New York
Astoria Bookshop
As small as the store is, it does great things with the space provided! It offers a ton of book clubs to join, hosts regular events, such as author readings and creative writing workshops, and has a weekly children’s hour that is very well liked by families and their little ones.
It’s very cute and makes it easy to fall in love with the quintessential, local bookstore!
Aladdin Books
This is the most authentic and unique book store in Flushing, Queens. It sells K-Pop albums for very decent prices, as well as Korean books.
For the ones who can’t read Korean, they also have a great collection of photobooks to admire (and buy, if you’d like). Staff is very friendly and helpful, as can be expected from such a nice mom-and-pop store without their own website.
New York City Bookshops: Best bookstores in the Bronx
The Lit. Bar
This is the very first independent bookshop in the Bronx, with hopefully many more to follow! It’s a pioneer for a New York neighborhood that needs and deserves the same love and attention as Chelsea, Midtown, and gentrified Brooklyn!
Grab a book and get cozy with a glass of wine. Yes, it’s also a wine bar – check! It’s a beautiful little place that has already won over the hearts of many locals.
New York City Bookshops: Best Bookstores In Staten Island
Every Thing Goes Book Café and Neighborhood Stage
That’s the store to visit if you’re looking for book bargains on Staten Island. It’s unique because of its versatility: You can use their computers and study while eating one of their pastries, buy used books, and/or also attend regularly held events, such as readings and small art exhibits. This bookstore has a little bit of everything!
Epilogue
As you can see, there are plenty of bookstores to choose from when visiting New York City. Often one is different from the other, providing many surprises along the way, but they’re definitely all worth exploring!
You may find enough reading material and inspiration for an entire year, and then you can plan a return visit when you need to replenish your shelves and bedside table. Happy exploring!
As I like to say:
“Reading is fundamental – Emphasis on the fun!”
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