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Known as the home to 18 miles of books, The Strand can easily satisfy the craving for books. The enormous three story (plus a basement with more books) bookstore is located on East 12th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. As one of the most popular bookstores in New York City, it’s no surprise that people from all over the country stop by to see the massive selection of books, bags, mugs, and other fun items with bookish content.

According to the Strand’s website, the founder was a man named Ben Bass. He opened in 1927, was only 25 years old, and created the used book store with a total of $600 to his name (Strandbooks.com). The famous bookstore was originally on 4th avenue and was a part of “Book Row.” At the time “Book Row” was six full blocks and 48 stores filled with books. Today, the Strand is the only one that remains.

The hotspot was owned by Fred Bass for decades, the son of Ben Bass, until he passed away last January. Bass told amNewYork, “the Strand's survival can be attributed to its vast size and selection, and "a great, really great staff of people who are very knowledgeable and take good care of the customers." Bass had been working alongside his father since he was 13 years old (amNY.com).

While the Union Square location is the most popular, the bookstore opened another location on Front Street which is a part of the financial district. Eventually, the rent became too high, and there wasn’t enough traffic, so, the second store closed in 2008 after only being open for 12 years. However, both stores still were known for their large array of new and used books.

Along with rows and rows of new selections and used editions of books, one of the special aspects of the Strand is the rare book room. Located on the third floor, and only open for certain hours, is the room where collectibles, first editions, and rare copies of books are held. The oldest book in the room is a copy of Ulysses from 1480 and is priced at $45,000. The first editions of Catch 22 and Catcher in the Rye are also shelved. The rare book room also has a lounging area, giving people time to read and rejuvenate after browsing.

Today, the Strand has become a cultural landmark, but according to Nancy Bass Wyden, the current owner, making it an official landmark could put a large dent in the business. The daughter of the original shop owner believes the regulations and restrictions involved with owning a landmarked building would just make other costs go up, as well as a loss of the 91 years of family history (Nyt.com). In 2018, the Strand was one of seven places that were to be recognized as a landmarked place. While officially making the Strand a landmark is a big deal, it takes away from the freedom, creativity, and originality at the heart of the original store.

The Strand started out as a small used bookstore and is now home to more than 2.5 million books of all different genres and editions. It is a known tourist attraction for any book lover, or anyone looking to see a piece of New York’s history.

 

 

Works Cited

Kilgannon, Corey. “Declare the Strand Bookstore a City Landmark? No Thanks, the Strand Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Dec. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/nyregion/strand-bookstore-landmark.html.

Kravitz, Melissa. “Secrets of the Strand Bookstore, NYC's Literary Haven.” Am New York, Am New York, 3 Jan. 2018, www.amny.com/secrets-of-new-york/secrets-of-the-strand-bookstore-nyc-s-literary-haven-1.11501480.

“Our Story.” Strand History | Strand Books, www.strandbooks.com/strand-history.