The Strand – New York City

January 4, 2010 in bookstore by Kim | 4 comments

A few weeks ago, Keith and I had dinner with our friends Mark and Liz Koussa.  They had just returned from a trip to New York.  Mark mentioned visiting a couple of bookstores and the conversation switched to bookstore tourism and buying books.  Keith is used to these long tangents, he just continued eating, Liz looked a little horrified at the thought of visiting anywhere with both Mark and I.  She feared she would never get out of a bookstore, my family could tell her she is right to be afraid.  I asked Mark to write about his New York trip and here is his first installment:

After a long day of shopping through SoHo…well, watching my wife shop through SoHo…I expected to cash in my “good husband” tokens and declare myself done  for the year.  Instead, after treading miles up Broadway Avenue, I flipped the script and asked for another 18 miles of purchasing?  No, I wasn’t angling for that new HDTV I have had my eye on.  I saw the Strand.  

At the corner of 12th and Broadway, this 55,000 square foot bookstore is a bookworm’s amusement park.  Opened in 1927, the Strand was originally located on Fourth Avenue, in New York’s legendary Book Row.  In 1956, this family bookstore was moved to its current location on Broadway, where the Bass family rented 4,000 square feet.  Although the Guinness Book of World Records lists New York’s Barnes and Noble flagship store as the largest bookstore in the world, the Strand is widely considered the largest based on shelf space.  
Prior to even crossing the threshold of this behemoth’s modest, classic exterior, the Strand’s claim to fame quickly makes itself apparent.  Wrapped around the outside of the store are racks upon racks of $1 specials; rivaling many stores’ entire libraries.  After spending more time than I expected sifting through the obscure titles on these shelves, I began to understand why they were $1 and decided to try my hand inside the store.  Upon entering I was dizzied looking at the towering shelves of books which reached as far back as I could see. Seeing the look on my face, and realizing the amount of time that could be spent casing the Strand’s over 2.5 million books (new, used, and rare), my wife became dizzy.  In spite of the crowds, the Strand somehow maintains the ambiance and appearance of a humble, independent bookstore.  
I began by wandering the grounds aimlessly, skimming everything from the best sellers placed prominently towards the front, to the Strand’s personal favorites (with classic authors such as Dickens, and modern classic authors, such as Chabon), to the modern first editions, and then the art history sections.  After about an hour…I discovered that there was a downstairs as well!  At this point I realized that I needed to buckle down before I was lost for good.  
I decided to test the Strand’s library and search for an obscure and long out of print book I had been trying to locate for some time called Metropolis found: New York is Book County 25th Anniversary.  
It took a bit of time to flag down an employee for assistance.  After getting the distinct impression that he was far too busy, and catching a bit of attitude, he finally searched their comprehensive and up to date computer database.  He quickly located a used copy of the book that the store had just obtained days before.  The $20 out of print book was in mint condition, and marked down to $5.95.  I quickly checked out, left happy, and realized that I was exhausted!  
828 Broadway (at 12th Street)
New York, New York 10003
T:  212.473.1452
F:  212.473.2591
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  1. Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit)’s avatar

    Serena (Savvy Verse & Wit) on January 5, 2010 at 10:25 am

    This is a fantastic post. I hope to visit this store while I’m in NYC in May!

  2. Meagan’s avatar

    Meagan on January 5, 2010 at 4:35 pm

    It quite literally made my day to see this post. I’ve only been there once but it was a truly an awesome experience. I was like a four year old in there. Not only did I manage to find two books I’d been searching for for weeks, both were marked down. Luckily I don’t go to the city often or I’d blow my entire bank account in that store. I still need to check out their rare books section :) Let me just say, nothing can prepare you for Strand. No matter how many times you hear how big it is, you will be floored when you walk in the door.

  3. Kim’s avatar

    Kim on January 7, 2010 at 9:50 am

    I love Strand Bookstore! My best advice for visiting: go early in the day before your feet hurt from shopping and wear comfortable shoes!

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