Strand Bookstore
New York, NY 10003-4805
Phone: (212) 473-1452
- Cross Street:
- 12th Street
- Directions:
- 4, 5, 6; L; N, R, Q, W at 14th St-Union Sq
- Best of Citysearch:
- Used Bookstore 2008, Bookstore 2005
- Hours:
- Mon-Sat 9:30am-10:30pm, Sun 11am-10:30pm
Editorial Review for Strand Bookstore – by Susan Chenelle
The Scene
The overwhelming eight miles of narrow aisles is crowded with not-yet-shelved volumes and fellow booklovers to stumble over. If you call the book search department and give them all the bibliographic information on a title, they'll call you back within three hours if they have it in hardcover, and put it on hold for you for five days.
The Goods
Over two million new and used hardcovers and paperbacks--usually 50% off cover prices. The main floor features new arrivals as well as art, history, literature, philosophy and any other discipline of thought you can imagine. The Strand also has a very good rare book collection in an adjacent building--ask at the information desk for directions.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoCan't brave the Strand megalith? Try the Annex on Fulton Street, a more airy space housing mostly new books, remainders and reviewers' copies.
User Reviews for Strand Bookstore
07/11/2008 Posted 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
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
07/07/2008 Posted 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
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Schedule
| 11/18/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/19/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/20/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/21/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/22/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/23/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/24/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/25/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/26/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
| 11/27/2008 | Strand Bookstore Special | |
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