NYC Streams: Bookstores

The biggest nook station
 I have ever seen.

Beautiful pillars throughout
the store.

For me, going to bookstores has never been about the actual act of buying books, but rather the experience of entering a realm that simply puts me in the mood to plop down on an oversized chair and just read. To be honest I think it’s ironic how successful bookstores are when there exists free libraries in almost every town. But I think the difference between libraries and bookstores is the feeling of luxury one feels upon starting a new book, with its cover shiny and clean, and the spine waiting to be broken in. It’s like bottle water versus tap, they both provide hydration, but one just feels like it quenches your thirst a little better. With that said, I think there’s a big difference from the big-boxed chain book retailers to the small shops with lots of individual character. The Barnes and Nobles in Union Square is quite possibly the largest bookstore I’ve ever been in. It maintained the same qualities that can be found in every Barnes and Noble across the nation--the nook station, a starbucks cafe, dark bookshelves and ivy green walls, though it had some quirks I found adoring, such as these stone pillars that can be found all throughout the store as if they are some sort of support for the building. I couldn’t believe the store had four floors which is great in finding that obscure book you just can’t wait two days for Amazon to ship, though I feel like the magnitude of the space can become overwhelming and hinder my ability to relax and enjoy reading. The commotion of the people and the traffic that moves in and out makes it more of a shop and go, rather than a browse and wander type place.

The Strand, however, was a completely different book retailer. I had never been to the Strand before, but I was pleasantly surprised by it’s nooks and crannies, and overall feeling of clutter that I find welcoming in independent book shops. The Strand was also immense in scale like Barnes and Nobles, with multiple floors and books as far as the eye can see. What I found endearing about The Strand was the quirky novelty items they sold, the hidden little alcove that housed their greeting cards, the yellow arrows on the ground that seemed to be offering no specific sense of direction, and of course their used book section. The Strand is definitely a place I can see myself getting lost in, unable to escape for hours and I would certainly be okay with that.

Not far from The Strand, right around the corner from Washington Square Park lives the Shakespeare Book Company, whose patrons consist I’m sure of mostly NYU students.  The shop was small, one open room with books that lined the walls and then were set up on tables scattered throughout the shop. Sadly, there was not any seating available for reading. The selection was very small, and I was sad to see that they only carried four books on photography. Though I liked how they displayed certain books as being favorite picks of the employees. It added a touch of personality and individuality that the other bookstores lacked. Being so close to The Strand, I’m curious how the Shakespeare does with keeping clientele. After all, The Strand houses many many more books while still maintaining that independent bookstore flair.

Those clouds!

The childlike touches make
this bookstore.

I did not realize before entering Books of Wonder that it was strictly a children’s bookstore, and I was pleasantly surprised as I didn’t think they existed anymore. The store was quaint with its revolving door and hand painted characters that welcomed me into the store. While it was closed at the time, there is also an adorable little cafe that feels like it fell straight out of a fairytale dream. The tables and chairs were made of real wood and puffy clouds floated mid air. All in all, the only word I can really use to describe the store and cafe is adorable. It’s a place made for kids and the young at heart who just want to escape into a fairytale.

Bauman’s Rare Books is like the Cafe Sabarsky’s of bookstore--not where I belong. Entering the absurdly quiet and empty store, I felt like I was entering an old law office with its leather couch set off to the side and a long wooden table in the middle. The books stood behind glass, but I didn’t dare try to get a hold of one after seeing their price tags. Many were first editions and cost up to $35,000. The bookstore is clearly set for extremely wealthy book collectors or people who have too much money and not enough places to spend it. After spending about five minutes in the store, I truly understood how out of place I was and I quickly excused myself out of sheer embarrassment.