26-09 Jackson Avenue
May 9, 2017 By Jason Cohen
A book store is opening in the Court Square section of Long Island City, an area where developers have struggled to find retail tenants.
Book Culture, which has three stores on the Upper West Side, will be opening a Long Island City location at 26-09 Jackson Avenue in November, according to store owner Chris Doeblin.
The store will be located next to The Hayden, a 50-story residential tower that Rockrose opened earlier this year. It will be the only book shop in Long Island City, with the closest one being the Astoria Bookshop in Astoria.
Book Culture is leasing its space from Rockrose.
Rockrose chief executive Justin Elghanayan said that his company would discount the rent until the book store turned a profit, according to the New York Times. “We think it’s important for the soul of the neighborhood,” he told the Times.
Book Culture began 20 years ago on 112th Street as an academic bookshop for Columbia University students, but eventually expanded to two other locations and now offers books for children and adults.
“Our mission is to open more book stores and get them into small cities,” Doeblin said. “People still like to read and families love to go to bookstores.”
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15 Comments
Should do great now that there are people actually living in Long Island City that know how to read.
Unfortunately people in Queens are just too cheap.
I wish it were not the case but they will have to
some serious community building to make it.
Between rent, cost of living and taxes maybe they’re just broke.
Fun!
I wish them luck and will probably visit but between the library and ordering books from amazon how does a book store profit and do well? Unless they are carrying specialty books or one is building their own home library why wouldn’t you just go to the public library for material.
Bookstores are also about creating a community, and celebrating local authors. People in Queens are anxious for this to happen and build on the arts community that has flourished without these spaces.
Community, authors, and space for the arts…library.
Stop ordering books from amazon and walk your ass to a bookstore
That’s how a bookstore survives
Should have been built closer to the water/Vernon Blv. Not sure it will succeed in that location
I guess the 20,000 apartments being built around here won’t have a lot of readers living there
Yes but they’ll just get the books from amazon. Less expensive, bigger selection, and no walking required.
I was just trying to find a bookstore in the neighborhood. There isn’t one. I will go here often.
this is very out of the norm. Not sure if it will make money, but I am not complaining about this. It is something that increase the standard of living here.
Book Culture is a great store, and I am happy to see them expanding into Queens. Their other locations have some really interesting events; I look forward to what this new location will present.
Good luck.