Brooklyn Book Exploring
Yesterday I went to an engagement party in Brooklyn, and because I rarely venture out there, I decided to make a little detour before the party and visit some local bookstores.
The first stop on my trip was Books Are Magic. I discovered after my visit that this store was opened by author Emma Straub, who started the venture after the bookstore in her neighborhood closed.
I noticed that there was a very prominent display of her books (including "The Vacationers", which I really enjoyed) but I didn't make the connection while I was in the store. I would love to go back armed with this new knowledge in the hopes of running into the author/owner.
Books are Magic is a medium sized store, bigger than a boutique but smaller than a big box bookstore. The front room has adult books, and there is a second room set up with a large reading area and a display of children's books.
As far as inventory goes, it seems that they cater mostly to new releases - I saw every single new release I've been hearing about in the last few weeks. Outside of newer books, there are not that many choices, so if you're on the hunt for an older book, this might not be the store for you. However, they have multiple different genres available, including cookbooks and poetry. There was even a special display dedicated to women writers.
Their prices were average, most books seemed to be going for the standard prices listed on the cover. If there was a sale display, I didn't notice it.
The store itself is absolutely adorable. Its close quarters, but the store feels cozy rather than crowded. On a cold, not so sunny day, it was the perfect spot to warm up for a few minutes.
My second stop was at Freebird Books, a used bookstore. I was lucky to be there on a weekend, because this store is only open Saturdays and Sundays.
I've never been to a brick-and-mortar used bookstore before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was very pleased. The store is clean and well organized, and most books appeared to be in good condition.
There were four stacks of books and a few additional displays on the outskirts of the store. From what I could tell, paperbacks were priced at $4 and hardbacks at $8. They also had a display of first editions, but I did not check the prices on any of those.
There was not a huge inventory, but I found two books I took home with me: a German language book "Das weite Land" by Arthur Schnitzler and "The Girl in the Flammable Skirt" by Aimee Bender.
I was shocked to see that Freebird had a shelf of books in world languages, and best of all, they were priced the same as the other books in the store. As someone who dabbles in collecting books in other languages, I was pleasantly surprised that these books weren't subjected to the same 'import' prices that many other sellers offer them for.
My copy of "The Girl in the Flammable Skirt" has a note on the inside cover from a student who gave the book to her professor as a gesture of appreciation for all she had learned during their time together. While a used bookstore doesn't have the hottest new releases, you won't find books that already have sentimental value in a regular store.
Overall, I had a really successful mini book tour of Brooklyn. Both stores definitely merit a visit, so next time you are in the area make sure to check them out!
The first stop on my trip was Books Are Magic. I discovered after my visit that this store was opened by author Emma Straub, who started the venture after the bookstore in her neighborhood closed.
I noticed that there was a very prominent display of her books (including "The Vacationers", which I really enjoyed) but I didn't make the connection while I was in the store. I would love to go back armed with this new knowledge in the hopes of running into the author/owner.
Books are Magic is a medium sized store, bigger than a boutique but smaller than a big box bookstore. The front room has adult books, and there is a second room set up with a large reading area and a display of children's books.
As far as inventory goes, it seems that they cater mostly to new releases - I saw every single new release I've been hearing about in the last few weeks. Outside of newer books, there are not that many choices, so if you're on the hunt for an older book, this might not be the store for you. However, they have multiple different genres available, including cookbooks and poetry. There was even a special display dedicated to women writers.
Their prices were average, most books seemed to be going for the standard prices listed on the cover. If there was a sale display, I didn't notice it.
The store itself is absolutely adorable. Its close quarters, but the store feels cozy rather than crowded. On a cold, not so sunny day, it was the perfect spot to warm up for a few minutes.
My second stop was at Freebird Books, a used bookstore. I was lucky to be there on a weekend, because this store is only open Saturdays and Sundays.
I've never been to a brick-and-mortar used bookstore before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was very pleased. The store is clean and well organized, and most books appeared to be in good condition.
There were four stacks of books and a few additional displays on the outskirts of the store. From what I could tell, paperbacks were priced at $4 and hardbacks at $8. They also had a display of first editions, but I did not check the prices on any of those.
There was not a huge inventory, but I found two books I took home with me: a German language book "Das weite Land" by Arthur Schnitzler and "The Girl in the Flammable Skirt" by Aimee Bender.
I was shocked to see that Freebird had a shelf of books in world languages, and best of all, they were priced the same as the other books in the store. As someone who dabbles in collecting books in other languages, I was pleasantly surprised that these books weren't subjected to the same 'import' prices that many other sellers offer them for.
My copy of "The Girl in the Flammable Skirt" has a note on the inside cover from a student who gave the book to her professor as a gesture of appreciation for all she had learned during their time together. While a used bookstore doesn't have the hottest new releases, you won't find books that already have sentimental value in a regular store.
Overall, I had a really successful mini book tour of Brooklyn. Both stores definitely merit a visit, so next time you are in the area make sure to check them out!
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