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June 3, 2009

Greenlight Bookstore Location Revealed!

After much build-up (including a party and much press), the little-bookstore-that-could officially has a home. And what a home it is! The former Nationwide Insurance storefront at 686 Fulton Street at the corner of South Portland Avenue in Fort Greene is 2,000 square feet large with charming old-school windows and tons of street frontage. The owners think they may be able to open as early as September. Shop locally, peeps!
The Big Announcement: Greenlight Is Go! [A Store in Brooklyn] GMAP

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I'm in nerd heaven.

Posted by: iz at June 3, 2009 10:28 AM

YUPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: bianca at June 3, 2009 10:36 AM

Isn't this where Black Veterans for Social Justice used to be?

It is a great space for a bookstore. I wish them well, and would certainly shop there.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at June 3, 2009 10:41 AM

Great!
So then what will be going in across the street on the S. Portland side of Not Rays?

Posted by: ReMiXxd at June 3, 2009 10:47 AM

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: bklynbpr at June 3, 2009 10:58 AM

About time the hood got a book store. You would think all people did in FG was eat and drink.

Posted by: DeLepp at June 3, 2009 11:09 AM

Please don't hate me for wishing it was a Barnes and Noble with nice couches, an expansive children's selection, clean bathrooms, and a cafe. It's not that I dislike local bookstores -- well, perhaps I do a little. Okay, more than a little. I do, however, buy about 4 books a week new, so the publishing industry at least should thank me.

That is, however, a lovely location for a bookshop. I hope they do well.

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 11:15 AM

Great news! I'm canceling my Amazon account. And burning my Borders card. And Barnes and Noble.

Posted by: marlowe at June 3, 2009 11:22 AM

Salary for independent bookstore clerk -- $8/hour.

Salary for Barnes & Noble or Borders' clerk -- $12, plus benefits even for part-time.

Those salaries are total guesses, but I'm pretty sure it's fairly accurate.

Again, I'm just saying... eh, never mind. Yay! Buy locally! Or rather, not exactly local since books are made in other places, but I think RR Donnelley is in New Jersey --

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 11:29 AM

Selection at Barnes and Noble, etc.: mainstream, bestsellers, books you can find anywhere, generally not browser-friendly or terribly interesting

Selection at independent bookstores: eclectic, intelligent, you generally stumble across something you had no idea you would be so interested in

I am really excited that we are finally getting a bookstore in the neighborhood, and I am really happy it's not a dime-a-dozen chain store.

Posted by: brooklynfamily at June 3, 2009 11:34 AM

Not only all that, but B&N only does "trade" paperbacks, not mass market even though sometimes things are available in both styles. It's one reason I trek the couple of miles to Book Court.

Posted by: Arkady at June 3, 2009 11:38 AM

"Salary for independent bookstore clerk -- $8/hour.

Salary for Barnes & Noble or Borders' clerk -- $12, plus benefits even for part-time."

And so what is the motivation to be an independent bookstore clerk?

Because you actually love books, and you want to share that.

The fact that the staff are there because they love books is exactly why shopping at Greenlight will be a more satisfying experience than shopping at a place where the clerks are simply there to punch a clock.

Posted by: streber at June 3, 2009 11:47 AM

Well I'm certainly glad! I felt so terrible when the young couple finally had to close Indigo Books (I think that is where Narai Spa/Nails is now).

Mont Rose, you are correct.

Heather, maybe this new store will have comfy seating and coffee/food...I'll bet it will. A community-based bookstore will probably interact MUCH more with the neighborhood than a "box"/"mall" bookstore would.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at June 3, 2009 11:50 AM

Yeah... uh. Yeah -- no. Look, like I said don't hate me. I realize I have the dissenting opinion here. It's one of my touchy subjects, okay? Right up there with too many bathrooms and people who drive their cars to the Park Slope co-op. I love books. I am not quite a philistine. I am even fairly well-read. In all genres. I think a book store will do wonders for the "tone" of the neighborhood. I will probably shop there from time to time. I hope they do well, as I said before.

I do, however, think that hating the bookstore corporate chains, who are probably responsible for the publishing industry today being as healthy as it is, is a bit ass-backwards.

And I'd rather know my bookstore clerk could feed her family than have the luxury of working for peanuts.

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 11:52 AM

It won't be easy for an independent bookstore to tackle that much square footage, in this location, in this period of struggle for all bookstores, large and small. They'd be well-served to have a sharp, targeted marketing strategy, or you'll soon see that space empty again.

Posted by: East New York at June 3, 2009 11:53 AM

Heather, I think I know what you mean but I just wanted to point out that the owner does mention on her blog her interest in paying her staff a "living wage". I don't think that Barnes and Noble or Borders staff are actually payed all that well. I just googled "starting pay at Barnes and Noble" and it looks like they generally pay just a tiny bit above minimum wage, which is $7.15/hour in New York. So I don't think assuming the big name stores pay better is always correct.

And the publishing industry is hardly "healthy"! I actually take the opposite point of view about big name stores - the lack of selection at the big stores, discount chains, etc., are all contributing to the failure of the industry. In Germany and France, for example, it is illegal to discount books in the interest of protecting the small publishing houses and small bookstores, as well as the promotion of a variety of publications.

Posted by: brooklynfamily at June 3, 2009 12:04 PM

Why should anyone make an assumption that Greenlight will pay $8/hr? I'm also a little curious where the $12/hr figure comes from...

Look, I'm not sure you could manage that well in NYC on either hourly wage.

Not to make a further assumption, but I wouldn't be surprised if a local bookstore pays competitive wages, no?

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at June 3, 2009 12:10 PM

Thank you brooklynfamily for some better info.

I'm sure this store will be highly involved with the community with kids' activities, reading group, food and drinks, lots of author readings.

If anything, I'm sure it will be much better than any chain store could be.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at June 3, 2009 12:12 PM

Heather, what do you do with all your books? 4 per wk sounds like a lot for this super infrequent reader.

Posted by: more4less at June 3, 2009 12:18 PM

http://www.barnesandnobleinc.com/jobs/benefits/benefits.html

I'm sure there are limitations on their health insurance and who gets it, but it would be hard for an independent to match. Impossible, probably.

Thanks for getting actual salaries. I was pulling those numbers out of my very outdated information based on friends who worked in indy bookstores in the 90's. That's how much they made then. It must be said that many of them did not "need" to work.

I think the publishing industry is actually healthier than it was. Costs are way down for production and the process is much more streamlined. Distribution and marketing with the internet are insane. It's actually possible for a small publisher to get national exposure... ahem, those of them that are left, which -- I don't know how many actually are. But people are reading, and people are talking about books and whether it appeals to your aesthetic or not, the majority of those books were bought at one of the chains...

(And are the exact same books sold at the independents. Except more.)

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 12:25 PM

I burn them, more4less. Or I arrange them by color and size on my billy bookcases and send the pictures to apartment therapy.

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 12:27 PM

I would love to support a local bookstore. I can't wait for this to open! And so close to where I live!

Posted by: mksk at June 3, 2009 12:27 PM

Heather, you really burn them? my wife's books were piling up and we started donating them to the public library.

Now that book store is crossed off list of missing shops that one expects from a prime BK hood, how about a big bakery with seating, massive selection, & decent prices (no, all items shouldn't be over 2.50 each)?

Posted by: more4less at June 3, 2009 12:40 PM

Good one Heather.

Posted by: denton at June 3, 2009 12:46 PM

No, actually I keep them. I like books. I like re-reading books. So does Mr. Heather. Stuff that I really hate, like that Sebold lady, or "Eat, Pray, Love," I give away because we don't have a fireplace.

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 12:46 PM

Oh, please—quit looking for reasons to gripe (futilely) about indies vs. The Man. Total waste of time.

Ft. Greene finally gets a little bookstore in a beautiful storefront; it's great news, period. Jobs, books, streetlife, community; this is one hundred percent great. I'll start there first when I need something.

Economy, schmeconomy--life in FG and Clinton Hill just continues to rock. Love it here. Support your local shops and eateries!

Posted by: Rehab at June 3, 2009 12:54 PM

Funny, heather! The billy bookcase was a nice touch :-). Well, I love books and bookstores and that includes Barnes and Noble. I love a bookstore where you walk in and kids are all over the place reading books. Any store that promotes that is a great one in my...er...book.

I don't have much room so every year I winnow out the books I don't care that much about and give them away. But the ones I love I keep forever. Books are sacred.

Posted by: bxgrl at June 3, 2009 12:59 PM

Four books a week new! Holy moly.

I hope this place has a bestseller list. nothing like taking your credit card and wandering around a bookstore, buying.

Posted by: infinitejester at June 3, 2009 1:10 PM

I read a book a day - lots of rubbish. "Real" books I want to keep I buy at Community or Court but most of the trash I trade for on PaperBackSwap.com. It's a fantastic site.

Posted by: Arkady at June 3, 2009 1:16 PM

"I think the publishing industry is actually healthier than it was. Costs are way down for production and the process is much more streamlined."

You mean, production has been outsourced to India and sr. management has given themselves bonuses for being so clever.

Oh, the economic downturn has hit publishing hard. It is easy easy easy to buy used books on the internet for 10-50% of the price of a new one.

Posted by: northsloperenter at June 3, 2009 1:27 PM

Yes, I also wonder how "healthy" publishing is...I thought everyone is struggling who work on books and magazines.

Well, so many books are printed in China it is shocking to me...

The husband unit did a recent "vanity publication" (small art catalogue for a show he had). It was printed at one of the best U.S. presses. They do a lot of museum work and top of the line art books. The catalogue was very expensive to print and bind...ugh...north of 20 grand for a two boxes of books!...but I felt good about having it done here and supporting the economy...anyway, it wouldn't have been produced as well otherwise...

That's my "book/publishing" story.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at June 3, 2009 1:49 PM

and i've always felt this side of the street lacked in retail visibility over it's counterpart across fulton...

this is truly a perfect location!

Posted by: bklynbpr at June 3, 2009 1:55 PM

Looks beautiful. Usually independents have smaller inventories, so less of what I want than B&N, etc. Exception is bookstores with a special focus, such as Bluestocking, Book Culture, and Biography Bookshop.

If they focus on creating community (cafe, couches, readings, children's) and carefully curate the selection (for quality and importance) in subjects the locals want to browse, plus offer unusual periodicals, maybe the shop will become a popular Brooklyn destination.

Posted by: mopar at June 3, 2009 2:20 PM

Anyone can order any book they want used online, the more obscure the better, so a bookstore has to offer something you can't get online, such as a browsable, curated selection and community.

Posted by: mopar at June 3, 2009 2:23 PM

mopar, yes, unusual periodicals are huge.

BTW, where the hell can I get the monthly Brooklyn Rail? I never see it anywhere anymore.

Posted by: infinitejester at June 3, 2009 2:34 PM

Book Court is a perfect example of a great local bookstore that survives in a B&N world--love the vibe and the staff selections. I hope Greenlight is as good.

Heather, if you really buy that many books, consider a Kindle. I read a lot and think it's the best--you can haul the equivalent of a small library's worth of books (and periodicals) with you anywhere, and I no longer feel guilty about the tons of paper used to give away/recycle.

That said, I still love bookstores to get a feel for what I might like to buy on the Kindle, and to buy books with art/photos that don't work in electronic format or aren't available.

Posted by: tinarina at June 3, 2009 2:42 PM

> "I think the publishing industry is actually healthier than it was"

If you think that, you obviously do not know anybody in the industry. I know a lot of publishing folks, and they all lament the slow (or not so slow) death of the industry.

Posted by: SnarkSlope at June 3, 2009 3:41 PM

I have considered it, tina. But the four a week usually includes purchases by husband and child... so it's not all me. I do read close to that, but some are re-reads, some used, etc. I want a Kindle... but I also love having a library -- a very messy dog-eared one that takes over our apartment, but also means there's always something to read or to lend to someone to read. I think a Kindle would take away some of the fun... if I traveled more though, it'd be a no-brainer.

And mopar's right, I think about the creating community... (Although I also have to say, if you're dealing with the toddler set, a good barnes & noble offers all the community you need. That also has something to do with my bias.)

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 3:46 PM

Snark, they've been lamenting for at least twenty years. So I have some skepticism.

Posted by: Heather at June 3, 2009 5:02 PM

I think bookstores have about 10-15 years left as viable businesses. With the advent of online shopping and the emergence of the kindle, these places, along with music and video/DVD stores, will be about as relevant as a wheelwright or ice man.

Posted by: Big Jugs at June 3, 2009 6:08 PM

Watch it with the comments on the billy bookcases, Heather! :)

Posted by: sixyearsandcounting at June 3, 2009 6:46 PM

« Fire at 216 Pacific Street Berkeley Bump Bungle? »

June 3, 2009

Greenlight Bookstore Location Revealed!

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