leaves is an independent, second-hand bookstore. It is a community-oriented project committed to sustainability and affordability.
It carries all genres of books ranging in price from one dollar to many thousands. Their website is...
read moreLiterary Places
This database of writerly destinations—places writers can visit for inspiration, to promote their writing, for research, and to discover community—includes historical sites, reading venues, literary collections, writing centers, and writers spaces. Save your selections to My P&W and populate a personal Google Map that can be used to plan reading tours and visits to literary meccas, or just to keep track of your favorite literary locales.
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Beginning in spring 2007, the New York University Creative Writing Program launched a series of intimate salons at the newly dedicated Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House. Students responded with enthusiasm to the events, especially to the...
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Slated to be the only bookstore in the Bronx, the Lit. Bar encourages curious readers and welcomes literary, art, and community gatherings—connecting the great pastimes of social drinking and introverted reading. Offering a carefully...
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In 2009, Brian Leitgeb and his wife opened Mast Books on Avenue A in New York City’s East Village. The shop’s prices remain modest and affordable, and the collection of used books reflects Leitgeb’s personal taste—including literary fiction and...
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Located on the ground floor of the City Point development at 445 Albee Square West in Downtown Brooklyn, this bookstore opened in 2020 and includes a wide selection of books with a rare book section and children’s section. The shop hosts literary...
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McNally Jackson Books opened its fifth bookstore in New York City at 1 Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan in 2023. This is the largest of their bookstores (at seven thousand square feet) and features a wide selection of books and a full...
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The South Seaport location in lower Manhattan overlooks the East River and has two stories full of books—poetry, fiction, nonfiction, children’s, art—as well as magazines and stationary items. The bookstore hosts literary events regularly...
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For nineteen years, McNally Jackson's flagship store, which opened in 2004, was located at 52 Prince Street and is now a few blocks west at 134 Prince Street. The larger space opened in early 2023 and features a wide selection of books and a...
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This expansion store of McNally Jackson Books located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is a two-story space with a large selection of literature and a robust children’s book section. The shop also hosts readings, talks, and panels across a range of...
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Melville House Bookstore is located behind the Melville House Publishing office in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn. The bookstore is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 PM to 6:00 PM and has regular (and free) evening events that start at 7:00 PM...
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Located in Greenwich Village, Mercer Street Books and Records has been tracking down, buying, and selling interesting, esoteric, and weird books for over twenty years. They stock used, out-of-print, and new books in almost any subject, as well as...
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A complex of buildings in the heart of New York City, the Morgan Library & Museum began as the private library of financier Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913), one of the preeminent collectors and cultural benefactors in the United States. As early...
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Opened in 1979 by Otto Penzler in New York City, the Mysterious Bookshop proclaims to be “the world’s oldest mystery fiction specialty store.” Originally located in Midtown before moving to Tribeca, the bookstore stocks mystery books in hardcover...
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The New York Botanical Garden is an iconic living museum and, since its founding in 1891, has served as an oasis in this busy metropolis. They regularly host poetry readings and book signings in a spacious auditorium.
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The Countee Cullen Branch gives Harlem residents of all ages access to library services delivered in a friendly and effective manner. It is home to the James Weldon Johnson Reference Collection for children, books on the African-American...
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The Division holds over 29,000 linear feet of archival material in over 5,500 collections. The strengths of the Division are the papers and records of individuals, families, and organizations, primarily from the New York region. These collections...
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The NYU Bookstore features an event space for in-store author readings and book signings. Events typically begin at 6:00 PM and end at 7:30 PM. Seating is limited, no reservations are needed and events are free and open to the public.
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P&T Knitwear is a family-owned independent bookstore, podcast studio, event space, and cafe in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The name dates back to the knitwear store the founder’s grandfather Hymie Tusk and his business partner Mike Pudlo...
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Paragraph is a membership organization that provides affordable workspace for writers in New York City. Facilities include a comfortable desk, all the coffee and tea you can drink, fast Wi-Fi, free printing, writing-related events every month,...
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Patchin Place, a quiet dead-end alley off West Tenth Street, was home to many writers, musicians, and artists over the years. Notable residents included John Reed (1 Patchin Place), e.e. cummings (4 Patchin Place), Djuna Barnes (5 Patchin Place...
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Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Pete’s Candy Store is a performance space, bar, and club. The venue hosts weekly poetry readings and other performances.
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Pete’s Tavern, the oldest continuously operating tavern in New York City (founded in 1864), was famously the refuge of short story writer O. Henry (aka William Sydney Porter). He supposedly wrote “The Gift of the Magi” in a booth at Pete’s in...
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The Poetry Society of America, the nation’s oldest poetry organization, was founded in 1910. Its mission is to build a larger and more diverse audience for poetry, to encourage a deeper appreciation of the vitality and breadth of poetry in the...
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Posman Books is a family-owned independent mini-chain with five locations, including one in New York City at Chelsea Market. The Chelsea Market Flagship store opened in 2009 and is located near the Tenth Avenue entrance, or the western side of...
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The powerHouse Arena—a self-proclaimed laboratory for creative thought—is a gallery, boutique, bookstore, performance, and events space located in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood. The space is home to the art book publisher, powerHouse Books, and...
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