In a world where we’re constantly seeking out the shiny, new thing and new openings are happening faster than we can blink, sometimes we yearn to slow things down and show some love to those reliable institutions that have been operating longer than we’ve been alive–like America’s oldest steakhouse, which has been serving NYC for 150+ years, the nation’s oldest cheese shop, which was established in 1892, and even NYC’s oldest bar, which has been slinging drinks since 1762.
And as we delve further into our brand new Secret NYC Book Club–which you can join for yourself and help us pick our March read!–we’re being way more conscious than usual about supporting smaller, independently-owned bookstores rather than just purchasing from a chain out of convenience.
Currently on our radar: Argosy Book Store, NYC’s oldest independent bookseller.
Now in its third generation of family ownership, Argosy books has been sitting pretty in Midtown since 1925–yes, longer than The Strand, which was established in 1927. The shop specializes in Americana, modern first editions, autographs, art, photography, and antique maps and prints, all of which are scattered throughout its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves spread across seven floors–plus a large warehouse in Brooklyn!
Argosy is a must-visit for anyone who enjoys reading, though, as it’s also home to thousands of books in all other fields of interest.
Argosy writes that “many people who visit us are so smitten by the main showroom that they don’t realize there’s more to see on other floors!” And there certainly is a lot to see! Here’s a bit of what you can expect:
- Basement – packed with 45,000 inexpensive general-interest books: fiction, biography, drama, music, religion, science, poetry, cooking, etc.
- Mezzanine – houses fine bindings and leather-bound sets
- Second floor – Argosy’s gallery, filled with hundreds of thousands antique maps, prints, posters, and paintings
- Fifth floor – an enormous history department – mostly Americana, but all other areas of the world are also represented
- Sixth floor – autograph department with one of the largest collections of signed books, letters, manuscripts, documents, and photographs
Speaking from experience it’s impossible to walk into a bookstore without actually purchasing a book, even if we already have ten books sitting on our shelves waiting to be read. With that being said if you do possess that sort of self constraint, or you just aren’t actually in the market for a new book at all, Argosy’s gorgeous antique decor makes it worth it to even just stroll through the shop itself.
Prefer to just grab a book and go? Lucky for us Argosy Book Store is just two blocks from Central Park–sounds to us like the perfect makings of a spring picnic! And, if you’re in the market for selling instead of buying, Argosy also buys books, prints, maps, and autographs every day, no appointment is necessary (though they do note it never hurts to call ahead, especially if you have many boxes!).
At the risk of sounding a bit crazy, we love the smell of an old book, and we can’t even imagine how they smell at Argosy! Browse Argosy’s inventory to see what’s in stock. And if you’re looking to explore more old NYC, check out the following:
- This Is Where To Find NYC’s Oldest Tree, And It’s Around 350 Years Old
- The Oldest Building In NYC Dates Back To 1652
- If You Need A New Read, The Oldest Mystery Specialist Bookstore Is Right In NYC
📍 116 East 59th Street