This is a hip bookshop that doesn't have a huge selection, but might have what you're looking for. They're strong on art books and have a fabulous magazine and literary journal section. The staff... More

This is a hip bookshop that doesn't have a huge selection, but might have what you're looking for. They're strong on art books and have a fabulous magazine and literary journal section. The staff is also really nice. I often wish they had a better selection, as I'd love to spend more money here and less in chains.
Less

I have to say I found my copy of the "Anarchists Cookbook" here. Now a days political titles are replaced by art and design titles, probably because of Cooper Union and NYU. The selection is... More

I have to say I found my copy of the "Anarchists Cookbook" here. Now a days political titles are replaced by art and design titles, probably because of Cooper Union and NYU. The selection is nice, the prices are retail and the staff is very helpful. The walk down St. Marks is worth it, but the book store is still as it always has been, a place where you can find hard books and magazines.
Less

In a world where on a book shop like St. Mark's must silently be compared to Barnes and Noble's, I am struck by it's surprising relevance and urbanity. Unlike B&N, a very good and comprehensive... More

In a world where on a book shop like St. Mark's must silently be compared to Barnes and Noble's, I am struck by it's surprising relevance and urbanity. Unlike B&N, a very good and comprehensive bookstore, St. Mark's differs in that it has a clear and expert EDITORIAL hand. The same way great editors make a great magazine, so St. Mark's shows this is true for bookstores. It has small press publishers and academic authors, but not as a gimmick. The books are extremely well selected, & personally, I find the percentage of books I find interesting to those I don't extremely high compared to most bookstores, including other small artisanal bookshops. A lot of art, literary, philosophical, poetical work that's on the forefront of modern thinking. It's the kind of brick-and-mortar shop that can only exist in a big city like ours, and despite the availability of everything on the internet. For a city that has everything, it's easy to take for granted that having bookstores like this is just part of the reason we live here. But if I were a tourist, it would be a destination for me... actually, coming from a small southern town, I feel like it is for me still.
Less

St. Mark's does not attempt to be an all-purpose bookstore for the mainstream reader. Located in the East Village, it is true to its bohemian roots and stocks books that would be of interest to its... More

St. Mark's does not attempt to be an all-purpose bookstore for the mainstream reader. Located in the East Village, it is true to its bohemian roots and stocks books that would be of interest to its hipster/artsy clientele: on art and photography, leftist politics, and fiction published by smaller publishing houses. While it may not appeal to everyone, it is a great resource for artists and intellectuals. You will often find things here that you won't find at Barnes and Noble, but not if you are looking for the newest Scott Turow novel!
Less

St. Marks Bookshop has been famous for its plenty of design and art magazines, ranging over architecture, interior design, fine art, industrial design, fashion, painting, graphic design, etc. ( I... More

St. Marks Bookshop has been famous for its plenty of design and art magazines, ranging over architecture, interior design, fine art, industrial design, fashion, painting, graphic design, etc. ( I finally found IdN here after searching for a whold month) Japanese magazines are also availabe here since the store is located in East Village. By the way, the cool cards stuck in my room were mostly gotten in the entrance of the bookshop. You can find a lot of rare coolcards and the update is very frequent!
Less

The Saint Marks Bookstore is a cute little bookstore just steps from Saint Marks Place. Even though it's no where near as big as say Barnes and Noble, you can spend hours in this bookstore. They... More

The Saint Marks Bookstore is a cute little bookstore just steps from Saint Marks Place. Even though it's no where near as big as say Barnes and Noble, you can spend hours in this bookstore. They have a wonderful collection of self-published work and the most up-to-date section of art and photography books. The most modern and hip fiction books are right up front so there's no need to go wandering around if you're just looking for a good new read. I love the strange postcards in the back of the store.
Less

St Marks is a decent independent bookstore. It isn’t a specialty shop, although its books cater to the neighborhood: independent, liberal, intellectual. It also carries most of the main fare you’d... More

St Marks is a decent independent bookstore. It isn’t a specialty shop, although its books cater to the neighborhood: independent, liberal, intellectual. It also carries most of the main fare you’d expect. It is independent, so not cheap, but worth supporting. They also carry a selection of autographed titles at all times.
Less

If you're sick of the snobby literature connoseurs at other shops and you want to avoid the corporate atmosphere at Barnes & Noble or Border, St. Mark's Bookshop is the place to go. Not only will... More

If you're sick of the snobby literature connoseurs at other shops and you want to avoid the corporate atmosphere at Barnes & Noble or Border, St. Mark's Bookshop is the place to go. Not only will you find your common best sellers but you'll also be happy to discover some out of print books that you wouldn't find anywhere outside of the publishing company!
Less

I realize the title sounds strange but my husband loves this shop. He can often find books on Borneo (sp?) culture, japanese tradition and all sorts of beautifully illustrated / photographed pages... More

I realize the title sounds strange but my husband loves this shop. He can often find books on Borneo (sp?) culture, japanese tradition and all sorts of beautifully illustrated / photographed pages for him to use as reference and inspiration. It isn't very cheap, but sometimes you'll find prices that rival Barnes & Noble and books that you'd never find over there. It isn't a mainstream kind of place but if you look around you can find some awesome coffee table reading!
Less

St. Mark’s Bookshop offers common books and magazines, in addition to having a heavier weight towards cultural and literature publications. It also prints its own booklets. As an alternative to the... More

St. Mark’s Bookshop offers common books and magazines, in addition to having a heavier weight towards cultural and literature publications. It also prints its own booklets. As an alternative to the Barnes and Noble across the street, this book shop is a great place to kill time while waiting for your friends to go to a Japanese dinner in St. Mark’s Square.
Less