In college, winter break is extremely long and a little boring to say the least. This gave my roommate and I plenty of time to brainstorm fun things to do in the city for the upcoming semester. We are both total bookworms, so when she suggested we do an NYC bookstore crawl, I was all for it! New York City has so many options, so after a little research, we narrowed it down and came up with a short list of places that are sure to satisfy the needs of any book lover. Here are four of New York City’s best bookstores and my reviews on each!
Argosy Book Store
Location: East Midtown on 59th St. between Park and Lexington
Review: This was the first NYC bookstore we hit on our day-long bookstore crawl and it definitely did not disappoint. We picked this particular bookstore because it only sells antique or out of print books. It is also located in a super old building that definitely made you feel you were back in time. It was multiple stories high and each floor offered a unique array of books. The basement was full of old classics and one floor even had original prints of artwork that would look good on any dorm room wall. If you find yourself in midtown, make sure to check this one out!
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
Location: SoHo, on Crosby St. (right by Supreme for all you brand lovers)
Review: Not to be confused with the Housing Works thrift store (we may or may not have gotten lost a few times), this adorable place was the second bookstore on our list. The building itself was so cute because it had two spiral staircases that led up to a balcony with rows and rows of books. It was pretty instagramable, I must say. This bookstore mostly offers newer books and has a few necessary classics as well. What I loved most about it was that their book selection was definitely geared toward the classic New York college student. It had books on very relevant topics, ones that would most definitely be brought up in any liberal arts classroom. This bookstore also had a really cute cafe that had all of the vegan/gluten-free options you could ever want. So basically if you’re a millennial, this is the place for you.
McNally Jackson Books
Location: SoHo, Prince St. between Lafayette and Mulberry St.
Review: This one may have been my roommate and I’s favorite out of all of them. It was very minimalistic and had all of our favorite female authors out of the tables so we definitely stayed in their browsing and reading for a good hour or two. There is also a cute cafe with all of the expected coffee/espresso drinks and super delicious baked goods. I would totally go back there to sit and study or read and people watch through their big windows. This would be considered a more classic style bookstore, but worth the visit for sure.
Strand Bookstore
Location: If you know, you know
Review: And of course, I had to include Strand on our list. If you are a book lover and you are in New York, this is a place you just have to visit no matter what. It is the most well-known bookstore in the city and it is for a reason. It is a one of a kind experience, I could be in there all day long and never tire of it. It takes up a whole city block and still manages to fill three floors with books. They set up tables of books that each display a uniquely themed array of novels, biographies, and poetry books that are sure to appeal to any type of person. They are also known for their fantastic array of feminist merch and art socks. All around, one of the best places in New York.
From one book lover to another, if you find yourself in the city with some free time, I would highly recommend hitting up one or two of these great bookstores!