Strand Bookstore

07/09/11

Ultimate Greenwich Village Used Bookstore Scenester Destinat

by Straight to the Chase

The Strand Bookstore has been around for decades, primarily selling (and buying- at a super low price, so don’t expect to make more than pocket change selling your old books there, unless they are art/coffee table books and even then) used books, but also new, rare and out-of-print books. It’s pretty big and well-organized for a used bookstore, with lofty, wide aisles full of everything from cookbooks to art books to science books to classics… the staff tends to have an attitude, but what do you expect from people who are that cool and that brilliant (just kidding). Outside, they have bookshelves stuffed with paperbacks selling for as little as 40 cents… usually outdated fiction and autobiographies no one cares about anymore.

The Strand tends to elicit die-hard devotee behavior from the downtown literati, and on any given day is full of hipsters mingling in hushed and serious silence. They have all kinds of free readings, children’s and family hours, classes and events there, easy to find out about via their website and listserv, and you can even watch videos of the events on youtube.

The Strand has always advertised itself as having 18 miles (2.5 million) of books… what’s fun about it is that it’s organized enough to be able to go in and find what you want, but used bookstorey/flea markety enough to be like a treasure hunt, as you never know what you’re going to find.

06/11/11

Miles of Books

by SamSamP

I love books, love to read and Strands is a Bookstore with a wide range of selections. You don't have to be a book worm to like this store. They sell it all. Books for Everyone, no matter your interest. They have the popular books. They have the books that no-one else carries. The hard to find books, new or used. For the most part, the used books they sell are in great reading condition. They have $1 racks, if you happen to have a thesis to write on something old, you can get ideas and information from these books without spending much money on something you will only use that one time. I love coming here and spending time browsing. They have a good collection of educational books for teachers, parents and children. If I ever decide to home school my child I know I can count on Strands for the academic material that I will need. I picked up a large US map, about 42"x50" that has an adhesive to stick on the wall. It allows my little one to fill in with an erasable marker the name of the states, its capital and each states abbreviation. It is also easy to peel off. I saw other educational stick on that are priced right and I plan on returning to purchase. Strands always have competitive prices to other major bookstores. It truly is a place to get lost in and fall in Love...

05/15/11

Strand! Strand! Strand!

by CinderC

Bored with the same old selection you see on the tables in Barnes & Nobles? Don’t get me wrong I love my Barnes & Nobles but this place is exceptional. You’ll find a completely different selection here. Or you’ll find what you’re looking for but half of what you would pay elsewhere. There is a reason why this store is filled with people and books on a Friday night. It has an extremely unique arrangement of books. They have everything from new releases to the out of print materials. If you haven’t gone here yet you are completely missing out!

Miles of books cramped on shelves shouldn’t intimidate you. There are three floors with tons of titles, genres, and categories. A personal favorite is the children’s section where you’ll find classics and out of prints. They have a large selection of books about New York City just for kids. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or someone who just cares about children’s lit, it is quite an amazing assortment. In addition, they even hold events here and filled up a calendar with them.

Even if you aren’t in the NYC area, you can go online and purchase books too. If you are in this area you should check it out. Try selling your books back, buying a book for a buck, or see an event there. While this may not be your typical bookstore, it is definitely grand. I think everyone should try out Strand!

07/11/08

awful, overrated book store with lousy service

by britishjon

Like several other reviewers here, I joined Citysearch specifically to bash The Strand. The place is a total triumph of advertising over product. Anyone in a dumb Strand T-shirt (or hoodie, or hat, or shorts) will tell you that this is a great independent book store, but the fact of the matter is that it's got a very unimpressive selection that's presided over by some of the rudest people I've ever encountered in retail. I guarantee that whatever you can find at The Strand you can find cheaper on the Amazon Marketplace, shipping included.

The people who work at The Strand comport themselves as if they were the high priests of a sacred temple, but the truth of the matter is that they're in customer service. And if they can't provide pleasant service and a good, low-priced selection of books, what's the point?

• Pros: lots and lots of used hardcovers of major novels by major authors
• Cons: overpriced, terrible customer service, dank and inaccessible bookshelves, you name it

07/07/08

Dirty place, cheap price

by superreview

I've always bought my books at Strands, just because they are dollars cheaper than other bookstores I've encountered in New York. Unlike the others, I have yet to encounter the rudeness of their employees, probably because I have never bothered to sell my used books here, and after reading the numerous review, have no intention to. The only thing that bothers me about this bookstore is how unorganized it is : dusty books are stacked on top of each other, some books are not in alphabetical order/not in their best condition, and it's hard to navigate through the store, it's like a puzzle within itself (you go left, and then right, and then left again, and it would take you an hour to go back to the entrance. I'm exaggerating, but you get my point).

For me, their prices kind of make up for everything, even though I personally wouldn't spend more than 30 minutes there!

• Pros: Great prices, broad range of books
• Cons: Dusty, unorganized, dungeon like store