By Margie Smith Holt
Need something to read besides the Rag? This Saturday—the last Saturday in April—is Independent Bookstore Day and here on the Upper West Side, we have more reasons than most of the country to celebrate.
Nestled between two great cultural and educational institutions—Lincoln Center and Columbia University—there are half a dozen indie bookstores, from the Westsider, a neighborhood institution for over 50 years, to the Strand’s latest branch, which took over the Shakespeare & Co. space near Lincoln Center last July. Two booksellers—the Strand and Book Culture—each have two UWS locations.
“I think that’s really a testament to the lifelong dedication to reading,” says Cody Madsen, vice president of operations for Book Culture. “People bring their kids into the bookstore, and then 15 years later, [those kids are] bringing their kids into the bookstore.
“We also benefit from having … one of the most writerly neighborhoods in New York and/or the world,” he says. “It’s beautiful to see the way that people are coming in to buy books, to nourish themselves as writers and readers, and then turn around and produce the books that then eventually show up on the shelves.”
Independent Bookstore Day was started by the American Booksellers Association, the trade organization representing indie booksellers, in 2014 with the goal of drumming up support for the little-guy bookstores going up against Amazon and the box and chain stores that currently make up the majority of the business. Since that first event, the number of independent bookshops participating across the country has roughly quadrupled.
This year some 2,000 stores nationwide will be hosting events they hope will underscore the important community role independent bookstores play in a world where Amazon accounts for more than 50% of all book sales, often by selling at a loss.
“The deal that you might be getting on a hard cover that seems unbelievably cheap online is really an attempt to buy your data, your consumption habits, and maybe also [sell you] a TV,” says Madsen. “Our goal is to participate in the community and [the] literary ecosystem … We’re not necessarily making a ton of money on each book sale, either, but we think books are important.”
Ready to browse?
BOOK CULTURE 536 West 112th Street (between Amsterdam and Broadway) and 2915 Broadway (at West 114th Street)
Start your morning Saturday with breakfast at Book Culture’s flagship on West 112th Street. They’ll be giving hungry readers a jump–start with coffee, bagels, and snacks. Besides the free food, there will be special sales: 10% off all staff picks and “blind date with a book” books; 30% off all Book Culture merch.
Book Culture celebrates 30 years in business next year and now has four locations. You can end your day with Book Culture, too: The 112th Street store is open late—until 10 p.m.—every weekday.
STRAND 450 Columbus Avenue (between West 81st and 82nd streets) and 2020 Broadway (between West 69th and 70th streets)
Head to the Strand if you love audiobooks. Find the “golden ticket”—one is hidden at each store—and you win a free year of audiobooks through Libro.fm, the Amazon Audible competitor which shares profits with independent bookstores. The Strand is doing a giveaway with 831 Stories, a new publisher of romance novels. There will also be free face painting and balloon twisting at both locations, and story times at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Columbus Avenue store.
“The activities for children are our priority because the UWS is such a family-friendly neighborhood. These neighborhood bookstores are such cornerstones in the lives of young readers, and nurturing the next generation of readers is one of the great joys of bookselling,” said Kat Pongrace, the Strand’s marketing director in an email interview. “The Upper West Side values independence of spirit, the cultivation of the arts, and raising the next generation of readers, so for us, it’s a natural fit.”
Next year the Strand celebrates 100 years in NYC.
THE JUILLIARD STORE 144 W. 66th Street (at Broadway)
Need a score for Chopin’s Nocturnes or piano music for K-POP Demon Hunters? The Juilliard Store on the Lincoln Center campus has you covered. The shop is running its annual Hal Leonard sale—which covers most of its inventory: 20% off sheet music and arts-related books.
“The Juilliard Store is such a unique place in the neighborhood (and really, in NYC) for buying all manner of books (and sheet music, of course!) for arts lovers—including those written by Juilliard faculty,” said Brendan Padgett, Juilliard’s senior director of communications in an email.
The Juilliard Store is the last place in the city where you can buy sheet music in person. All store proceeds benefit students.
WHITE RABBIT’S BOOKS 200 West 86th Street (between Amsterdam and Broadway) and WESTSIDER RARE & USED BOOKS 2246 Broadway (between West 80th and 81st streets)
While not holding any special events for Independent Bookstore Day, both the Westsider and White Rabbit’s will be open normal hours Saturday. Westsider, which features rare and used books,has been a UWS institution since 1971 and in its current location since 1984. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
White Rabbit’s, specializing in children’s books in English, Russian, Ukrainian, and Hebrew, opened in January 2025. The store has a full roster of events, including a painting class, in Russian, for children ages 5–10 on Saturday at noon. The shop is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Need more? Book Culture is also the southernmost stop on the Upper Manhattan bookstore crawl heading north to the Fountain Bookshop at 187th Street with several bookstores in between. But that’s another story…
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