Strands Bookstore

Strands is a bookstore that Olwen Abergas used to frequent during his early years of living and working in NYC. “18 Miles of Books” says Strands Bookstore, located at 828 Broadway (12th Street) and another at 95 Fulton Street.

According to www.strandbooks.com it was in 1927, Ben Bass opened Strand Book Store on Fourth Avenue. This used to be New York's legendary Book Row. The Strand was one of 48 bookstores on Book Row, which started in the 1890's and ran from Union Square to Astor Place. Today, the Strand is the sole survivor.

Ben's son Fred started working in his father's store at the age of 13 and took over its management in 1956. Later, Fred moved the store to its current location on Broadway at 12th Street. He rented 4,000 square feet of space, but now, The Strand now occupies 55,000 square feet of space.

This Sunday evening, we spent an hour browsing through many books. Upon entering the store, we deposited our shopping bags, except the small grey Apple shopping bag which contained a “Black Hawk Down” DVD game.

We parted ways inside the book store, trying to expIore as much space as time would allow. I quickly browsed through the NYC coffee table books and picked up “Subways, The Tracks That Built New York City” by Lorraine Dheil (US$6.95) and “New York’s Bravest: Eight Decades of Photograph from the Daily News, edited Shawn O’ Sullivan (US$15.99).

Olwen picked up “Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini (US$11.21) for us.

In the second level, wasily accessible by stairs, I picked up “Our Century in Pictures” by Time Magazine (US$19.95). There were at least four shelves of photography books, plus four piles of bargain photography books. Am sure Nady Nacario would enjoy browsing through these books.

Cecile got “New York Burning” by Jill Lepore (US$7.95) for her mom.


Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist George F. Will, in the 70s wrote, "the eight miles worth saving in this city are at the corner of Broadway and 12th Street. They are the crammed shelves of the Strand Book Store."

Just hope Cecile and I can enjoy reading these books over warm brewed coffee.