Strand Bookstore

I love going to the Strand. They have such a huge selection of used books. I've purchased everything from art books -> programming books and have always been happy about the condition of the book and the price. They also sell new books at a discounted rate! This is perhaps the best bookstore I've been to thats geared towards poor college students. more

Strand is THE BEST!! And now with the internet, no more sweating in the aisles hunting for the book you need. They'll find it for you & e-mail you back & hold it for you for a week. staffed by kind, smart readers who also happen to love dogs! more

Strand Book Store is another local favorites to readers. It has a wide selection of books llike Barnes and Noble but what makes this a local favorite is that they have rare books as well. They have plenty of sales and half price new books. This is the place for you to find your old favorites. more

I've never been disappointed after a trip to Union Square's Strand Book store. This warehouse packed neatly into a two-story space has a plethora of rare, out-of-print, just-in-print, and popular books to choose from. You can also find exceptional discounts if you look hard enough. It's best to go with an open mind, some of the best purchases I have made have been spontaneous, and I always walk out spending a lot more than I had planned. more

Right by Union Square, this legendary book store is very famous for it's collection of rare, used and out of print books. There's definitely a book you've been wanting in their "18 miles of books." It can get a bit crowded and the staff in my experience has not been very helpful, but if you find what you're looking for then it's well worth it. more

This bookstore is great, because a lot of the books are cheaper than at a Barnes and Noble. Some of the books have been used already, but most are new. The only thing that I would complain about is that there are no air conditioners. It's especially hot when you are looking for a book in their tiny aisles. It's a large store with a lot of shelves of books. more

This is a good bookstore because it has the atmosphere of a vintage bookstore. It is not modernized like a Barnes and Noble, but more like a larger scale mom and pop bookstore. They have wall to wall shelves of books to choose from. You can easily spend hours in there and probably not noice. It can get rather crowded in there though. It's kind of tight in there so if you don't like crowds, you might want to stay away. But overall, it's still a great bookstore. more

Strand, a strictly NYC icon, is a book lover's paradise. They offer a huge selection of used, new, and hard to find books that can take anywhere between an hour to a day to browse through. It's hard to NOT find a good read, and it's likely you'll have a few dollars left over to grab a cup of coffee while you dive into your novel. The Strand paraphernalia they sell is also mighty stylish and affordable. more

The Strand is amazing. Miles of books, rare finds, great bargains, all packed into a no-nonsense, non-corporate, laid-back atmosphere just off Union Square. Best for browsing, as the sheer volume of inventory makes hunting for specifics more of an adventure than it should be. Plus, finding a gem in the bargain bin is part of the whole experience. Not to be missed. (Note: the Fulton St location is less crowded, but not as big.) more

If you're looking for anything regarding books, I'd definitely check this place out. They have everything related to books, both used and new. They always have bargain books outside and stacked up inside for sale for about 1 dollar. Sometimes you can get lucky and get a great deal on these books. And sometimes they are new! I came here to look for textbooks for my classes and found them used at a great price. I would have had to pay full price at my school's book store! I'm a poor enough student as it is. This book store also can special order any book if they don't have it in stock. I think they also carry old magazines as well, so if you're looking for those hard to find magazines, this place is it. I'd highly recommend for their selection and bargain prices. more

Yes, there are books miles long, and it might take years to find them. I'm just exaggerating. It's a great place if you're window shopping and not really looking for one specific item. There's so much to see inside (though, I find it quite dark, for a bookstore), that if you ever want to find something you really want, good luck. I, for one, am intimidated by tall, towering bookshelves stacked with books miles long. But I do like their little clearance/featured section outside. There are Cd's and books for a dollar or two and it's just a little shelf for you to look through. more

The Strand - the largest independent bookstore in the world. And they aren't kidding. It puts B&N to shame, at least in terms of variety. While mega chain bookstores tend to carry only the more-sought items, The Strand is a great source for hard-to-find, out-of-print or used/discounted books. My favorite is the photography department. There's always an awesome selection of great monographs, and lots of them are heavily discounted. If you don't mind pulling up a spot on the carpet, you can sit and flip through a stack of books for hours. The Strand has undergone an overhaul in the past year or so and is a lot more organized than it used to be. Still, with so many books on SO many things, sometimes it can be a bit tricky hunting down a gem. If you know exactly what you're looking for, it's simple enough to go to the help desk and have them check the inventory. However, if you're looking to, say, just find a "great photo book," it could be in one of three or four places. It's best as a place to go when you have time to spare and just want to poke around. Of course, this can be difficult at times because The Strand's no secret, and is often full of people obliviously clogging the isles. Note: Don't bring a bag you're not willing to check at the door; apart from small purses, they're pretty adamant about their policy. So, don't buy a new I pod and bring it to the store with you... Note 2: They have several locations, including a rare books department - though I haven't been to them. more

Strands bookstore in New York is world famous. They have a great selection that is unrivaled. Located in the east/west village border right on Broadway, this place will look like some person's attic with books all over the place. It is quite disorganized but they have a huge selection and quite a few hard to find books. They can even do special order for you but good luck trying to get some of the staff to help you out. Their staff is something that needs to have an upgrade. more

I've been a fan of the Strand for years. I've always thought of it as the quintessential NY experience. It's located in Union Square (a few blocks away from a behemoth Barnes & Noble) but the Strand does its fair share of business. First and foremost, they always have discounts on all books and not just the most recent best sellers (try buying Catcher in the Rye at a discount at B&N). There is a great selection of old, new and obscure books and they have a great New York section. I also enjoy the childrens' book section downstairs. Plus, you can get reviewers' books of best-sellers for half off! A steal! The downside? You have to check in your bag at the front door. Blah. I hate doing this. There's no air-conditioning (they recently renovated the store and added a/c but believe me, it feels like there's nothing there) so the store can get incredibly hot and uncomfortable (definitely not the B&N experience). Also, sometimes the staff is too busy entertaining their hip selves and ignore you or act surly. So if you can deal with all of that, then it's worth the trip for a great book at a good price. more

Too many books that no one will read stacked every which way. If you want to browse then go here. If looking for a particular new book, check out the chain stores or online (Strand has most of their inventory online). Some sections are very well stocked, like fiction, but sections like games only have the worst books. Check out the bargain carts outside if you enjoy hours searching for bargains. more

Like all New Yorkers, I’m a fan of the Strand. I mean, the place is an institution and it has just tons and tons of used books. The problem is, well, it has tons and tons of books. I can’t believe I’m complaining, but the truth is, it can be hard to find what you’re looking for. Also, their air-conditioning sucks. God help you if you need to go downstairs for a children's title in the middle of the summer. All that whining aside, the staff are a bit hit or miss, but generally can be quite helpful if they're not overwhelmed. And it's a fabulous place to browse. So, basically, go and have fun, but be careful in the summer. more

Strand's is a bookstore conveniently located on Broadway. They sell new and used books. It's not a Barnes and Nobles with chairs, coffee bars, restrooms, etc. Just BOOKS! It's great for a bargain price. You won't go home empty handed with these prices. You can find just about anything you are looking for whether it be for you, a friend, a child, or spouse. I recomend going there for a great deal. more

The Strand Book Store is world famous for it's gigantic inventory. The store is huge and once you get the hang of thelayout you can navigate through the hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of books. You can find some real deals here especially books that they bought remaindered. Check the condition of the books carefully as I've come across a couple with writing inside otherwise enjoy the experience. more

The Strand has always been, as far as I know, THE used bookstore in New York, and it's even better now that it's been fixed up a bit with a nice second floor and newly renovated bathroom. Granted, there are 18 miles of books there at prices around 1/2 the cover price for most (though I don't know about rare ones), but whenever I go in looking for a specific book I can't seem to find it. Might be the books I look for, might be my inability to find them, but I've always found The Strand better for browsing and seeing what's there or go in with only a general idea of what I want. The children's books have moved up from the basement to the second floor and it looks like the selection has increased. Lots of good art books, and even a fair selection of used graphic novels. Also good prices on review copies. more

This is where old books become the property of new owners. Literally there are miles of books in this densely packed shop. It takes awhile to figure out the filing system but once you do you can locate virtually any out of print book. The staff takes itself a little to seriously which along with the general chaos in the store keeps it from getting a perfect score. more