April 16, 2013

BEA Part of It/New York, NY || Bookstores for Bookworms

As a reader, I love the fact that New York has so many bookstores! There's a store for each reader, as each one offers a different vibe and selection of books. While I have yet to visit some of the others (like McNally Jackson Books and WORD), I wanted to share a few of my favorite haunts with all of you.

A Unique Bookstore Experience

Books of Wonder
Photo Source
Hands down, Books of Wonder is probably my favorite bookstore in the city! They boast a wonderfully curated collection of books for children and young adults (including a whole bunch of signed stock, which is pretty awesome). Not only do they have new releases, they also boast a collection of old and rare children's books too and some amazing book-related art. I've also enjoyed numerous events at their store (1, 2, 3, 4).

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
Photo Source
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe is a popular destination for students and Saturday mornings, as it boasts a cafe with delicious food and an eclectic assortment of books. While it's located in a fairly small space, it's simply a wonderful place to hang out with others and perhaps discover a gem or two amongst their bookshelves.

The Search for Bargain Books

Book-off
Photo Source
If I'm looking for a good deal on books, chances are you'll find me at The Strand. The store's collection of books is quite large (18 miles, according to the site), which means you'll be browsing for hours. There's a nice mix of book genres, though I always tend to gravitate towards the young adult section. What I love most about The Strand (apart from the adorable merchandise) is the fact that you can find books that are reasonably priced, even newer hardcover titles!


Book-off
Photo Source
If I'm not particularly looking for anything, but just want to browse for books or sell some of my books, I visit one of my used bookstore staples, Book-Off. While they may not have all the latest titles, they do have a varied collection of books, as it's based on what people bring in to sell to them. I love perusing their shelves, trying to see if I can spot familiar titles or new-to-me books - all at a bargain price (the books don't usually exceed $7, based on my experience). My favorite part of their store is the $1 row; all the books on it are (obviously) just $1! While it's mostly adult fiction, sometimes, there are great YA deals on there - like that week when I picked up The Boyfriend List, Forget You, Sloppy Firsts and Vampire Academy for a $1 each. Apart from books, they have Asian fiction, DVDs, CDs and video games for sale too.

The Standby

Photo Source
Of course, New York City also has Barnes & Noble located in many spots in the city (such as 1, 2, 3). My favorite and most often frequented branch is the one in Union Square. It's got four floors to it, and I've pretty much got the layout of the store down pat. As with other branches, it's got a Starbucks, a section dedicated to educational toys for children, a section dedicated to the Nook and a fairly large collection of books. I particularly like the large space where they host events, as I've been able to attend my fair share (1, 2) and think it's pretty good in terms of fitting in a large crowd. Doubtless you'll want to visit this one if you want newer titles!

I'm glad to have been able to share my five favorite bookstores with you! Hopefully, this post will help you direct you towards places where you can get new books (since we always need new books, just saying), as well as giving you ideas for places that your bookworm heart may want to check out during your visit.

Your turn - Have you visited any of the bookstores on my list? What was your experience like? Are there any other NYC bookstores you've visited that you think I should visit too?

Don't forget to check out the rest of this series!
4/14: Under the Broadway Lights  (Estelle of Rather be Reading)
4/15: Foodie Heaven (Rachel of Hello, Chelly)
4/17: Quick Bites and Sweet Treats for BEA-goers (Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner)

29 Comments:

  1. GEEZ. I love this post with ALL my heart! LOVE LOVE LOVE.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We will go bookstore hopping when you come into the city to visit me! It will be TONS of fun (although not so much for our wallets).

      Delete
  2. All these posts about BEA and NYC are making me want to go oh so badly! I've only been once... so clearly we didn't make it to many book stores - however we did go to a Borders that was closing and I found a super cute book! - but I'd love to come back and go visit all these places! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really, really want you to come! There's an amazing amount of bookstores in this city, and you should visit them all ;)

      Delete
  3. Awesome post!! Too bad I don't live in NYC =\
    Book of Wonder sounds (and looks) the best.
    Great post!! Thanks for sharing (:

    Sapir @ Diary of a Wimpy Teen Girl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Books of Wonder is AMAZING. It is seriously one of my favorite places in New York City! I love their carefully selected collection of books, and I love their awesome events.

      Delete
  4. I will be staying with Alyssa in CT so we are going to the Book Barn <33333 I want to check out Books of Wonder just so say I've been! I feel like it's a legend in its own right.
    Love these posts! They're so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I want to go to Book Barn! *cries* Can I come and visit? And you must DEFINITELY go to Books of Wonder. It's pretty darn awesome.

      Delete
  5. Wow, I now want to visit NYC!!! I've never been to New York or anywhere in New England.... I live on the West Coast :-)!

    The bookstores you wrote about in this post as I love bookstores!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope one day you get to come and visit NYC! It's lots of fun to go around the city, eat all the food, do all the shopping and visit all the bookstores :)

      Delete
  6. I think I need to visit NYC just for Books of Wonder! It sounds so cool! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Books of Wonder is TOTALLY worth a visit. I highly recommend it to everyone!

      Delete
  7. This is a great post, Alexa! How sad is it that I've lived on Long Island for FOUR YEARS now, and the only one of these stores I've visited is Books of Wonder? Part of me is afraid if I go into The Strand I'll never come out...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Going into the Strand is kind of scary because I know I'll always be tempted to buy ALL THE BOOKS. But it's seriously wonderful in there though, because you're absolutely surrounded by shelves and shelves of books. You should definitely go and visit!

      Delete
  8. I've remember going to Strands before I was even a book blogger. I've heard about Books of Wonder all year and I certainly want to stop by this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you definitely go to Books of Wonder when you come up for BEA! It's a quirky little store, and I love it so.

      Delete
  9. Books of Wonder is so qt! I'm really impressed with The Strand & Book-Off sounds fantastic. All those cheap books! I don't think I would need anymore new books after BEA though, ha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tell myself that all the time, but it never seems to work as I always end up with more, more, more. Sadly, since I probably will get more at BEA, I'm going to TRY not to go and spend money at any of these places!

      Delete
  10. Oh my gosh, I am so glad you did this!! I'm taking a trip to new york in May and was hoping to find some awesome bookstores! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so happy that I could help you out! These are just five of the bookstores I adore; there are plenty more around the city. I do hope you enjoy your visit!

      Delete
  11. Ahhh! I wish I had time for a trip. I've never been to New York, but I'm hyperventilating at the sight of that gorgeous book store!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww, next time! I hope you get to come and go bookstore hopping in NYC one day.

      Delete
  12. I've heard a lot about Books of Wonder, so I definitely want to visit it while I'm in NYC!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We'll definitely go to Books of Wonder. I love that place, and always consider it a complete treat to wander over.

      Delete
  13. Can we go bookstore hopping when I visit you in May, pretty please, pretty please??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES. I will definitely go bookstore hopping with you! Just say the word (when and where) and we shall go!

      Delete
  14. I need to go to ALL OF THE STORES!!! I definitely need to go to Books of Wonder. Fun story: As you know, I am obsessed with Wizard of Oz THINGS and when I was probably 9 my aunt ordered me a hugeeee map of Oz from Books of Wonder and then I started getting a monthly newsletter THAT I STILL HAVE!! I literally just found them last week when I was unpacking. SO FUN!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We will go to ALL OF THE PLACES. Hopefully, we won't spend TOO much money, but just enough :p

      Delete
  15. I freakin' love The Strand! Ahhhhh. I need to go back there to get a new literary themed cloth bag for sure.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving a comment! I love seeing what you have to say, and will try to reply (here or on Twitter) as soon as I can :)