Most importantly, while in New York I visited The Strand (a.k.a Strand Books). Strand has gained fame over the years for its "18 miles of books". It consists of three floors as well as a basement, all of which are full of books.
The basement, first, and second floors focus on books of all genres you could imagine (including a particularly unique shelf I noted which housed books concerning the occult). Everywhere you turn, there are floor to ceiling shelves of books, becoming maze-like towards the edges of the store, as well as tables of books that all adhere to different themes, such as previously banned books, staff picks, and books about travel.
On top of books, Strand also sells a wide variety of bookish items, including a selection of hilariously relatable book- and reading-themed magnets. This part of Strand is definitely where I spent the most time (and the most money). But we'll get back to my purchases later.
The third and final floor of Strand houses its collection of rare and antiquarian books and is only accessible by elevator. The books (and other items such as prints) on this floor had a very wide range in price, with there being some pretty affordable options as well as the obviously expensive rarer books. This floor also featured some pretty cool book art that you'll be able to see below.
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| The "book art" |
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| A $2,000 first edition copy of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut |
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| Issue #10 of Picture Magazine |
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| A $1,100 signed limited first edition (1/850) of The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King and a signed limited edition (1/1200) of The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands by Stephen King |
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| A $1,500 set of the early American editions of vol 1 &2 and a first American edition of vol 3 of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien |
On top of its mammoth size, Strand was also absolutely full of people. The main floor was probably the busiest of all four with a steady flow of people coming into the store and the third floor was probably the quietest with only a couple of people in it. Overall, the Strand felt like much more of a big-box store than Brattle did. This probably has to do with the way they have marketed themselves and established their brand. For one, Strand has very active social media accounts (including a tumblr account that often posts pictures of their rare books). Also, the store has set up kiosks in Central park, getting its name out more to the casual buyer.
To close, I would say that Strand Books seems to be thriving with the help of its global fame and insane stock of books. Strand has made itself an integral part of New York, a hub for book-lovers from all over the world to flock to in search of cool books (and adorable merchandise). I hope you enjoyed my post, and until next time, happy reading!
P.S. As promised, here's what I picked up at Strand Books:
LOVE IT! Your images really give me a sense of the stores. Did you have a chance to speak with any of the Strands staff or patrons regarding their views on big box and independent book stores?
ReplyDeleteObviously, these stores attract lots of tourists. Are they designed like a Barnes and Noble, where many patrons come to simply browse and read for prolonged periods instead of buying. (Although, this may be more difficult when books are behind glass and/or additional security measures have been taken!)
Do you feel as though most customers actually make a book purchase? Do must leave with souvenirs (another way to spread the store name and advertise!)?
P.S. Great jumping photo! Truly, I am impressed. The last time that I attempted such a feat, I simply fell to the ground! :)
I did speak to some of the employees and they directed me to Strand's PR manager. I emailed her with some questions and will be sure to let you know what she says when she gets back to me!
DeleteAs for the layout, I would say that for the most part the store is very open to browsing. Understandably, the only books that are in glass cases are the very expensive ones on the third floor. However, even on the rare book floor there are couches and chairs to sit and read some of the lower priced rare books that are in normal bookcases.
As far as I could see, most customers that were making purchases (and there were a lot of people making purchases and long lines at all of the cash registers) were buying at least one book, even if they did purchases some of the non-book items. I do also feel like Strand being a world-famous bookstore is a large factor in the amount of branded merchandise that customers are buying.
As for my jumping photo, I'm glad you liked it! It was the result of more attempts than I'd care to admit over multiple days, but I think it was worth the effort! :)
Very jealous, Elizabeth. I honestly want that copy of Cats Cradle! When you visited Strand Books, did they sell any electronics (i.e. Kindle, Nook, etc) that encourage electronic reading? Or was it all just physical books?
ReplyDeleteI know, right? Those first-edition copies were so cool. I'm almost positive that Strand only sells physical books, not e-books. But, as I mentioned, there was so much additional book-related merchandise and stationery that there was still something for everyone!
DeleteWow life in the Big Apple. Gosh what I'd give to be walking the dirty sidewalks of Broadway, where hustle's the name of the game. That's really awesome seeing how your little mom and pop shops are adapting in even the fast-changing, great flagship pinnacle of liberty and opportunity that is New York City. How are you noticing the bookstores o'er there are approaching the business differently from the equally funny-talking Bostonians? Do you see any little cultural shifts, any "New York values" pervading there that differentiates it from the one in Boston?
ReplyDeleteAlso, how are you digging the big city vibes? Ever feel the lone Phoenix resting on your mind? Really cool just seeing every slice of America from the most modest places--your local bookstore, just trying to crack a living in difficult times.
There were definitely differences between Brattle in Boston and Strand in New York. Strand had more of a "big-city" feel than Brattle, if that makes any sense. While Brattle had that very inie, "mom-and-pop" feel. I feel like that has to do a lot with New York being a little more fast-paced than Boston. I've always loved New York, so I've really been enjoying visiting it, and I was excited to visit Boston and Nashville for the first time!
DeleteHi Elizabeth! This is an amazing post. The Strand looks pretty extensive. You mentioned that they used social media and kiosks in Central Park. Do you think that this type of bookstore is more similar to Changing Hands, or a “big box” bookstore?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, George! Strand is definitely somewhere in-between Changing Hands and a "big box" bookstore. Its size and the way it goes about branding are very similar to "big box" bookstores, but at its heart, I think Strand is more like Changing Hands. I think that Strand only resembles a "big box" store out of necessity due to its location in New York and all of the competition that exists there.
DeleteI love this! Seeing all these pictures takes me back to my last visit to Strand. It truly is one of the best bookstores. Did you get a chance to interview any customers on their thoughts on bookstore preferences/ how regularly they shop at used bookstores? Also, did you notice which genres attracted the most customers? Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your adventures :)
ReplyDeleteThis is Ms. Willis, by the way :)
DeleteI didn't get to talk to any customers, but the busiest sections were definitely the table displays at the front of the store. These consisted of a mixture of new releases, classics, and gift items. This makes it kind of difficult to determine the most-shopped genre, but I would say that the classic literature section seemed to be a very popular section among customers.
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