It was fun to peruse their bargain section - not many stores left are doing $1 deals for used books…read morethese days! Definitely worth a visit if you're in the east village.

Came here awhile back…read more Great. I like books. I like to read, sometimes. It's a cute bookstore with lots of books. If you like reading, you will like it here. If you're not really into books, then you can people watch.

I almost skipped this shop because I thought, "what could a small shop specializing in photography…read morebooks have for me?" Glad I stopped in! It's actually the only "book" store out of several I visited this weekend in which I bought something! It is small, but not the smallest shop I've been in. Larger than a place like Casa Magazines (which I also love). It is mostly photography books, both new and used. Some "zines," not to be confused with magazines. A few books as well. I stay in hotels about 240 nights a year for business, so I bought a cool, unconventional book about hotels, with a beautiful fabric cover, with lots of colors, remarking on the weird and beautiful interactions you have or overhear in that environment. They had urban photography, more sexual stuff (like really sexual stuff), music and pop culture, and more niche genres. A little something for everyone. And the owner was super nice! Others have commented on how they have great conversations with her about the volumes they carry. She is really knowledgeable and helpful. Seems to know about everything they have! Prices aren't "cheap," but reasonable for the product you're purchasing. They also have a nearby gallery space, and that's worthwhile to checkout. I passed by the next day on the way to something else, and someone was outside with a volume they just purchased, having the owner take a photo of them with their new, proud acquisition. You can tell this spot is part of the community. Glad I didn't pass it up.

What's not to like about a bookstore with a great collection of photography books, friendly…read morepersonnel and fair prices? Nothing really. David (the owner) and Miwa are knowledgeable about the artists whose books they feature, and are only too happy to offer personalized recommendations. David was formerly at Magnum Photos and brings a wealth of contacts and a thorough understanding of the photo book market. And Miwa is also well-versed in the subject, especially on Japanese photographers of the documentary / Provoke movement. Dashwood is also a book publisher and attracts some high-caliber artists. Photo books are quite expensive but Dashwood is great with stocking up on signed copies of new books that are a bit more affordable if you are a collector and care to follow what is being published. That reminds me, I am due for my next visit.

An absolutely gorgeous local bookstore with great ambiance and character. Although they have an…read moreextensive inventory, Freebirds specializes in books related to NY history and culture. Stumbled into Freebirds during an afternoon walk and was mesmerized by the floor to ceiling stacks and overall communal energy. After a little research, I found out Freebirds was opened by Samantha Citrin and Rachel London in 2004 and later sold to local resident, Peter Miller. Peter was very pleasant and looked like a modern day Hagrid behind his stack of books and vintage cash register. Finally, in addition to the community orientated events this little bookstore hosts, it is also home to NYC Books Through Bars - a Volenteer collective which sends free, donated books to the incarcerated. Will definitely be returning. Shop local! Let's keep these gems open.

Fascinating and eclectic mix of used books in all conditions. Great place for a spare hour of…read moreweekend browsing. Maybe not the place to grab the latest best-seller or the latest book in a series- although they might have last year's best seller and a different book in your series. :)

Please see my review of the Strand for more context. The Strand is a mega store that says they…read morehave 18 miles of books. Nice store. But Mercer Street Books & Records is a place with heart and soul. While the Strand might have tons of new stuff, Mercer has some quirky, delightful, and downright weird stuff. Niche stuff. Magazines that are 20 years old (we are talking about art, music, and culture mags, not Vogue or People). Worn and well-loved used volumes of poetry, film. Languages (huge German and Spanish section). Some records, though nothing recent. Mostly things from the 40s-50s-60s, maaayyyyyybe some a little older. Show tunes. Soundtracks. Patty Duke. Fashion, design, music (Jazz, rock, British Invasion). Was bummed there was no hiphop section, but I'm not sure I should have ever presumed there would be one. Religion, fiction, history, and more. Mostly organized. Loosely may be a better word. Makes it more like a fun treasure hunt, the way things are arranged. Maybe in the design section, you might find a random copy of, "Making Dinosaurs Dance" or a Netter's anatomy coloring book. Both are in some way about art and design, but they are unexpected discoveries. Mercer is smaller than the Strand, but not as busy or as crowded, at least not on the Wednesday night I went. As I said on my review of the Strand, the person I presume to be the owner of this shop was there working the register. I could be wrong about the owner part, but I could tell the guy was old school LES and village. Beatnik hat, scarf, vest, round rimmed glasses, beard. As far as value, a lot to be found here. Good prices and some interesting finds. And loved that they were playing jazz. Whereas other stores might feel commercial and crowded, this felt like a hidden community spot.

I always love a used bookstore that is so full there are piles of books everywhere. There is a…read morelarge selection here, and prices seemed fair. The shelves were so high, though, that the top two shelves were completely inaccessible to me. I also felt like my browsing was getting in the way of the employee, who kept walking back and forth requiring me to constantly move out of his way.

These people are surly and anal, as Amy G. helpfully points out ('moody, rude staff members'). It…read moreis extremely triggering. Just because you're in a collective doesn't mean you get to be rude as hell. Bad behavior -- sadly not surprising from the same folks who named their predecessor location 'Book Thug Nation' (now thankfully defunct). Super cringe. Unnameable Books is under 10 mins walk away -- they won't be snarky and sassy to you there. NOT RECOMMENDED.

This bookstore has great books, but it has moody, rude staff members. I had been there 10-20 times…read moreand would have formerly considered this my favorite used bookstore. Recently, I was there on a weekday afternoon - literally only one of two people in the store, the other being my friend - and we were looking at books, casually browsing, and chatting to one another at a quiet volume. The male staff members essentially stood up and asked us to stop talking or leave... so we left. I won't be back.

I came to this place to browse and also sell a few used books I had. This place is a cute, small…read morebookstore. As cute as it was, it was also kind of disorganized, though. I had trouble looking for some of the books I wanted since some of the categories were all over the place. I was also confused on if any books were used or new, since some of them looked like they had been opened up and read a few times, or had some very minor damages. The person working at the station where I could sell used books was polite and quick with her job.

Just the cute name of the bookstore would definitely make me wanna go inside to take a look around…read more Name of bookstore really reminds me of the nursery rhyme starting with the lines of "Sugar and spice...And everything nice" in a way. Size of the place is rather decently small and narrowly-spaced. So, make sure to be extra careful not to knock anything over with your backpack or handbag. When I entered the bookstore, my eyes darted across the room and immediately landed on the cover of a huge and friendly, gray and fuzzy fellow. It was none other than the familiar Totoro himself! Had to flip through the pages of the heavy, hardcover book right away just because how much I love Ghibli Studio and Totoro in general! The selection of books is actually pretty reasonable with different genres like historical fiction, fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, travel, history, memoir, children's books, and so on. Besides books of all types, they also sell canvas totes, stickers, magnets, posters, sketchbooks, stationary, notebooks and postcards just to name a few as examples. Price range can vary but usually more on the expensive side depending on what you happen to buy from the bookstore. Even if you don't plan on making a purchase, I think it's still a great indoor activity (whether just by yourself or with family) to stay away from the cold for the time being. Lastly, I just love their cozy vibes so much and want to stay back for quite some time.

I was working in the area and saw the quaint bookstore on the corner and went in to browse around…read more There was an amazing variety to chose from, I found two wonderful books at a very affordable price. The staff greeted me and the cashier told me about upcoming events at the store. Definitely want to go back to look around again. A must visit if your in the area.

Small shop, but Wide old and new selection for adults. Espanol section. Lots for teens and kids and…read moregraphic novels too.

Love the vibes of this place. Three floors of books of every topic. They also sell stationaries,…read morewriting materials & cute knick knacks. There are lots of seating, fairly quiet & store keepers appears friendly. I would definitely come back on the summer months when i'm visiting the nearby piers.

This McNally Jackson packs a lot into a modestly sized location! I'll have to stop by every time…read moreI'm in the area. We walked away with both things we were looking for and two things that we stumbled on and couldn't resist.