The Strand Bookstore
No matter how many new and exciting things I find to do in the city, one of my top-five favorite destinations will always be the Strand bookstore. Home to 18 miles of books at 12th and Broadway, the Strand is my happy place. I find it absolutely impossible to feel anything but excitement every time I walk down Broadway and catch sight of the red Strand banners and sidewalk racks of discount books.
I've always been a sucker for books —especially discount books — but the Strand is so much more. In its current location since 1957 (and in business since 1927), the Strand was once one of 48 other bookstores on Fourth Ave., then known as "Book Row." It is now the only one left, and even without having been in any of the others, it's not hard to see why. There's something magical about the Strand that can't accurately be described, but if you're a book lover and you've been there, I'm sure you've felt it. There are four floors — basically: non-fiction in the basement, fiction on the ground floor, children's and art on the second and a rare book room on the fourth — and while I'm not sure where the "18 miles" tagline came from, you won't be disappointed by the selection. They sell new, used and rare books and I don't think I've ever left empty handed.
In addition to actual books, they sell some pretty great gifts too — cards, mugs, shirts and my personal favorite: tote bags. I've been collecting Strand totes since my very first visit, and it's impossible for me to pick a favorite. The designs change frequently, and they're always coming up with something new that I can't resist. During my two-month stay this winter, I obviously had to buy this cat version, which I haven't even used yet because I'm kind of terrified to get it dirty. Most recently, I was just about to leave the tote area empty handed when I spotted a khaki-colored one that I touched because it looked soft (and I touch everything) and then flipped it over to reveal a screen printed coffee-cup pattern (!). If you'll recall I'm kind of obsessed with the classic "We Are Happy to Serve You" NY coffee cup, so it was a very pleasant surprise and one of the quickest decisions to purchase anything I've ever made.
I also lucked out in the discount book department, which can sometime be very hit or miss (I found dollar copies of this and this). Browsing the sidewalk racks is probably my favorite part of going to the Strand. The store itself is packed floor to ceiling with books, which is why I love it of course, but can make for some very crowded browsing on the busier days. You have more room to breathe outside, and can browse at a more leisurely pace. The racks are separated by price, with most hardcovers at $2 and paperbacks at $1. There is occasionally an even lower price book mixed in — I found a vintage copy of "The Cat You Care For" for 49 cents a few years ago that I will treasure always.
The Strand is a great place to spend a few hours on a rainy day (if you can stand the hot, sweaty, moist crowds), and be sure to check out their list of events. They are always having book signings, famous speakers and occasionally do less cerebral things like speed-dating. I cannot wait to be able to visit the Strand on a much more regular basis. While ordering books from Amazon is convenient, it will never be able to replace the joy that I get from browsing a real life bookstore. Incidentally, most of the books I've bought from the Strand have been much cheaper than if I had gotten them online, and I get to read them immediately, without paying or waiting for shipping.