Then I want intimate.
Books matter to me.
McNally Jackson Books in SOHO, New York is my favorite bookstore. It is not because they offer the best selection (let’s face it, Amazon wins that race).
When I enter McNally Jackson Books, I am guaranteed an experience. An intimate experience. The entire store is designed to cater to people like me, people who enjoy books, love literature delight in exploring and finding that next gem to read.
There is a great, comfortable reading room downstairs. (no wifi in this store)
The staff are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
Picking up the books and flipping through them is not frowned upon.
There is an intimate cafe where you can read your latest purchase or wait as the book that you just purchased is printed.
People mill about this store. Pick up a book, flip through it, move on to the next book; they talk amongst themselves, sharing recommendations.
Every time I stay in SOHO, I stop at McNally Jackson Books. I don’t always buy something (usually I do!) but its an experience I relish. The owner, Sarah McNally, decided to leverage a passion and to do so by giving people an intimate experience that is difficult to replicate. Her store reflects her philosophy:
“I believe that within every great reader there are multitudes of people,” she said. “And you have to open yourself to all of them. I love British chick lit and I love Proust. Don’t judge yourself! There are so many kinds of writing that are great but bear no relation to each other. ‘A Book of Memories’ by Peter Nadas is like climbing a mountain. ‘Cutting for Stone’ is like going down a waterside.” Book-buying is aspirational, she added. “They are deeply hopeful purchases.”
That is where I like to go, to browse, to read, to buy. Reading matters to me.
Intimate matters.