In Search of the Perfect Bookstore - A Love Story

August 27, 2013 | News about
• InkWell Management

Being new to the city, I wracked my brain for entertaining (and not so wallet-damaging) ways to get to know Manhattan and my surroundings in Brooklyn. I finally decided to go on an independent book store scavenger hunt of sorts. My goal was to visit as many

independent bookstores as I could in just a few days and then report back on which ones really stood out to me. It turned out to be an amazing way to experience different New York City neighborhoods and frugally pass the time (if I could manage to not buy everything in the store - which was difficult). So here are my top three indie bookstore picks for Brooklyn - happy browsing! Brooklyn is notorious for its increasingly hipster vibe, and what could be more hipster than an independent bookstore? Here’s the cream of the crop. 3. BookCourt - Cobble Hill This place is a gem. Flooded with natural light, BookCourt offers expansive tables that display gorgeous books primed for browsing. While their fiction section is smaller, it offers a wide variety of fashion, photography and travel books. They also boast a surprisingly extensive array of off-beat periodicals that are difficult to find elsewhere. Overall, BookCourt is an excellent store in a lovely, laid-back neighborhood. 2. Greenlight Bookstore- Fort Greene If you’re not sure exactly what book you’re looking for, Greenlight is the perfect store for you. Greenlight offers a shelf of prominently displayed “Staff Picks.” Their staff was also easily among the most helpful of any bookstore I visited during my search. Greenlight also hosts a significant number of events each week, making it a great pit-stop after a nice dinner out. 1. Community Bookstore - Park Slope This is hands down the most beautiful bookstore I have ever stepped foot in. If you get excited by the visual aesthetic of gorgeous books on polished shelves, then Community is going to rock your world. It’s as if the staff hand-picked the specific printing of each book for optimal book jacket beauty. I could have spent many more hours browsing their gorgeous aisles. Aside from being a stunning store, Community is situated in a great area of Park Slope and provides a small garden in the back for patrons to lounge and read. There’s a small children’s section that is accented with a tiny rickety piano, and even an entire section dedicated to books put out by their favorite small publishers. I can’t talk recommend Community Bookstore enough, so you’ll just have to go for yourself. Next week, I’ll cover my favorite independent bookstores in Manhattan. Stay tuned! {Grace Lynch was a Summer Intern here at InkWell Management. She is a rising Junior at UC Berkeley.}