The Ultimate Guide To New York City's Fashion & Art Book Retailers
From Manhattan's favorite bookstores to tiny shops that sell hard-to-find copies, here are New York City's finest retailers of fashion and art-related literature.
New York City is a culturally rich town filled with artists, scholars, and intellectuals teeming with curiosity. What better friend for the curious than a good book? Nevertheless, among the stacks of romances and sci-fi, are there places in New York City where you can find a great book on fashion and art? Yes, and we are here to tell you where. Some of New York's finest booksellers keep an impressive collection of books related to fashion, art, and culture that stray away from the limited and, quite frankly, boring selection that chain book retailers offer.
We are here to highlight the booksellers who are friends to the voraciously curious who are fiends for finding an incredibly niche title. Looking for a rare 1964 edition of a book on New York's art scene? Or maybe a title all about Ann Lowe's career? If the answer is yes, then read on, as L'OFFICIEL guides you through New York City's best and finest fashion and art book retailers.
Dashwood Books
Born in 2005, this independently owned bookstore is dedicated to photography books, making it the perfect place to shop if you're looking to add to your coffee table book collection. Dashwood truly holds the most elevated and curated selection of books and often imports limited-edition books from international publishers. For all your photography book needs and wants, Dashwood is the premiere destination.
Address: 33 Bond St, New York, NY 10012
Hours: Monday - Sunday: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m
Assouline
Assouline is the publisher of those colorfully chic travel coffee table books that make their rounds on Pinterest and aesthetic Instagram pages. Trendy influencers and fashionistas are bound to have at least one of their travel series books. However, they are known for so much more. Assouline has a knack for truly creating gorgeous, well-made coffee table books for everyone. For the movie buff, they have a book dedicated to documenting the history of Columbia Pictures; for the fashion fanatic, books on famed designers like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Chanel are readily available. Everyone's interests are met with Assouline's extensive collection of coffee table books.
Address:
The Plaza Hotel, 768 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
The Mark Hotel, 25 E 77th Street, New York, NY 10025
Decoration & Design Building, 979 3rd Avenue, Suite 101, New York, NY 10022
Hours:
The Plaza Hotel Location: Mon-Sat 10 a.m. -6 p.m., Sun 11 a.m. -6 p.m.
The Mark Hotel Location: Mon-Sat 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Decoration & Design Building Location: Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat-Sun Closed
Rizzoli Bookstore
Rizzoli Bookstore is practically a landmark in Manhattan. Located in The St. James Building, this bookstore does sell more than just fashion and lifestyle-related books, but within their lifestyle section lies a trove of hundreds of titles that touch on any topic you can possibly think of. Looking for a book specifically on the design of the Fiat 500, Rizzoli has you covered. Perhaps you want to study how Fila successfully merged its way into both the athletic and fashion spheres, Rizzoli understands and they do have a title for this incredibly niche yet fascinating topic.
Address: 1133 Broadway, New York, NY 10010
Hours: Monday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
McNally Jackson
This independent bookseller has five locations: SoHo, Williamsburg, Seaport, Downtown Brooklyn, and Rockefeller Center. This chain of independent bookstores holds so many stories, both within its books and its loyal customers. When Time Out New York announced that they were moving their location a few blocks down, many, while happy that the bookstore continues to thrive, mourned the loss of its old location.
"I’ve nursed a broken heart, cured the travel blues, found inspiration, and gotten lost in dreams in these four walls," a local New Yorker said below a social media post the bookstore made about the move.
This special bond people have with this bookstore makes it a home away from home. While you are browsing their wide and expansive collection of literary nonfiction titles and staff picks, remember you are surrounded by a legacy that brings so much joy to New York City.
Address:
134 Prince St, New York, NY 10012
4 Fulton New York, NY 10038
1 Rockefeller Plaza Fl 10, New York, NY 10020
445 Albee Square Brooklyn, NY 11201
Karma Bookstore
Karma is mainly a gallery located in the East Village, yet their bookstore offers published books of some of the world's most renowned contemporary artists. Favorites among contemporary art fans like Jeff Koons and Jonathan Monk have a title here. Karma's bookstore also holds some rare limited edition copies of art books that you may not find anywhere else. Not to mention, with their gallery just a short distance away, you can make a day out of viewing art and perusing their books afterward.
Address: 136 E 3rd St, New York, NY 10009
Hours: Monday - Sunday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Mast Books
Mast Books is unique in the sense that it partners with creative branding agencies, designers, and publishers to acquire a comprehensive and curated selection of titles that one can't find anywhere else. Rare editions and out-of-print books can be found here, in addition to a large volume of books relating to all things fashion, culture, history, cinema, and more. They also engage in cultural programming that allows visitors to view and attend exclusive art exhibitions, read, and engage in author chats.
Address: 72 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Hours: Monday - Sunday: 12 p.m. -8 p.m.
Printed Matter
Founded in the '70s, the epoch of counter-class movements in art, Printed Matter was created to circulate, publish, and print art that wasn't recognized by mainstream galleries. They also wanted to explore the idea of using books as an artistic medium. They still hold to their original mission from 1976, which was to distribute and circulate books from artists and to make the art world visible and more accessible to the public.
Address:
231 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10001
38 St. Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m.– 7 p.m., Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Argosy Book Store
This old and rare family-owned bookstore is a treasure trove of antique books and memorabilia that you won't be able to find anywhere else — and we mean that. Limited edition copies of Homer's The Iliad and a copy of Candide, or All for the Best. by Voltaire can be found right here in New York City at Argosy Book Store. If you're in the market for rare books or simply interested in perusing through Argosy's impressive book and memorabilia collection, head over to their location on the Upper East Side.
Address: 116 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022
Hours: Monday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Shakespeare & Co
While Shakespeare & Co. doesn't specifically cater to a niche like fashion or art, both locations provide book lovers with a classic bookstore experience. The iconic New York City bookstore carries every title imaginable and doubles as a cafe, so you can relax with a cappuccino while browsing through a never-ending selection of books.
Address: 939 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10065
Hours: Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Three Lives & Co
Another New York City landmark, this bookshop is another destination for finding rare and unique books. They are a mainstay in the New York City landscape and describe their store to be "our living room, and a living place." If you're in Greenwich Village, definitely check out Three Lives & Co.
Address: West 10th Street, New York, NY 10014
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m, Sunday: 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.
