Shakespeare & Co Booksellers

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
Plucky mini-chain Shakespeare & Co keeps the independent bookstore flag flying at six locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. While covering all general-interest bases, the selection and the displays are oriented toward hipsters and students. In other words, you'll find a well-stocked philosophy--rather than new age and self-help--section here. Furthermore, the staff are friendlier than at most independent bookstores.

The Goods
Shakespeare & Co. is big enough to offer a little of everything, yet small enough to make finding titles fairly easy. Hardcovers are always 10% off and branches near colleges buy and sell textbooks. Each store is suited to the tastes of its neighborhood, so head to the Upper East Side for trendy, hardcover fiction and literary classics or downtown for play scripts and alternative fiction. As for the store's namesake, the Bard is well-stocked at all locations.