Despite the changing ways in which American readers buy their books, the small independent bookstores of Upstate New York have withstood the test of time and, in fact, are growing in numbers.
Here are a dozen of the best ones, from the Hudson Valley through Central New York and out to Western New York.
If your favorite indie bookstore didn’t make our list this time around, let us know at feedback@nyup.com.
Patrick McGrath takes on the role of worker and owner of Books End, a used bookstore located at 2443 James St.Books End
A real favorite for the reading community of Syracuse. They have almost 60,000 books here (they sell online also), and you can buy a book here for a dollar or for $5,000. Now nearly 35 years old, this is the oldest used bookstore in Syracuse and one of the oldest in Central New York. You will be hard-pressed to come out of this popular bookstore in less than an hour. The browsing is just that good!
Address: 2443 James St., Syracuse
This is a gem of a bookstore located in the college city of Oneonta in the central part of the state. The “Toad” is a comfortable, elegant place for books, gifts and great conversation. I asked the owner, Jim Havener, what sets his bookstore apart from others. “We like to think of ourselves really as a gathering place that has books. We are located in the heart of downtown Oneonta and we really have become a great place for folks to come together to enjoy and share each other and their ideas. I wanted a bookstore that offers a little bit of everything to all of our customers. And I think we do that.” The Toad has fiction, non-fiction and a large selection of children’s books. They stock all The New York Times bestsellers. The store also sells jewelry, vintage furniture, educational toys, antique historic photographs, trendy clothing accessories and more. They also have a busy schedule of in-store events, including many author readings. One great plus is that the bookstore is attached by an inner opening to Oneonta’s most popular coffee shop, the Latte Lounge. It is a perfect match.
Address: 198 Main St., Oneonta
Autumn Leaves Books is a classic indie bookstore with two floors o book in the lively Commons in Ithaca, New York. Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard archivesSyracuse.com | The Post-Standard archivesAutumn Leaves Books
This bookstore is located in the heart of the thriving Commons area of downtown Ithaca. The store, with nearly 100,000 titles, new and used, is literally in the center of the city’s destination for fun and events. The building, built in 1931 for a JCPenney store, still exudes the Art Deco nuances of the style of that era.
Address: 115 State St., Ithaca
One of the best bookstore locations in Upstate New York. It fronts on the Main Street of the Olympic Village and backs up to beautiful Lake Placid. “My mom started this bookstore in 1973, so I basically grew up in here,” owner Sarah Galvin told me. “When I was little, I didn’t want any part of the business. In fact, I hated to read. Later, after college, my mother was going to sell it and somebody made an offer on it. That is when I realized, ‘Hey, wait a minute, that is my bookstore!’ So I took over it and I love it. My husband and I oversee the business and the building, which actually was constructed by my parents. We cater to a large number of permanent residents, second-home owners and tourists in the summer. We have a steady stream of readings and book signings in the season, and we are very proud of our children’s section.”
Address: 2491 Main St., Lake Placid
This venerable Catskills bookstore is situated in the middle of the hurly-burly of the always fun and exciting village of Woodstock. It first opened its doors on June 23, 1978. The original owner, Ellen Shapiro, named the store after her favorite novel by writer Doris Lessing. The brightly painted store is an informal gathering place for readers and writers alike. The store features a constant stream of live events and book readings by some of the most well-known authors of this literate and free-wheeling community (including Pulitzer Prize winners!). Some years, the Golden Notebook plays host to nearly 100 author events.
Address: 29 Tinker St., Woodstock
A Colgate Bookstore clerk finishes with a customer Monday at the off-campus store in Hamilton, New York in this photo from 2004. Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard archivesSyracuse.com | The Post-Standard archivesColgate Bookstore
Located in a majestic old building at the four-corner intersection in downtown Hamilton, the Colgate Bookstore is a welcome neighbor to all in town as well as those just passing through. “Our bookstore is really the hub of the community,” director Tammy Ayers said. “We are always having in-store events here, like author readings and signings, and it is always a busy place. We give out a lot of visitor information to those passing through, including the parents and families of the many students just down the road at Colgate University. We have more than 17,000 highly curated books in stock and up to date. We have a very active children’s section and a large gift section. And of course we sell a million items, from shirts to mugs, with the logo of Colgate University on them. People feel welcome to come in and browse and relax for an hour or so. It really is a special place.”
Address: 3 Utica St., Hamilton
Spotty Dog Ale and Books is equal parts bookstore and bar, with a diverse collection of reads that pair perfectly with beer on tap sourced from a variety of local breweries. Michelle Heimerman for NYUP.comMichelle Heimerman for NYUP.comSpotty Dog Books & Ale
It is easy to fall in love with this independent bookstore. Very easy. Situated in the heart of Hudson in the Hudson Valley region, this store is located in a stunning 1868 red-brick firehouse! And it is also a trendy bar and meeting place for beer and book lovers. They have many of the best local craft beers on tap, plus wine and sake by the glass and cider and gluten-free beer by the bottle. They have a large, well-edited selection of books as well (10,000 titles), everything from kids to gardening to art, cooking to fiction and non-fiction. And art supplies, too. The Spotty Dog is also a performance venue, featuring live music 2-to-3 times a month.
Address: 440 Warren St., Hudson
Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza
This Capital Region institution has been serving the reading needs of its large customer base for over four decades. Tucked away in one of Albany’s first outdoor shopping malls, the bookstore has expanded over the years to meet its growing needs. It now includes the next door Little Book House for children’s books as well as the popular Market Block Books in Troy.
Address: 1475 Western Ave., Guilderland
This legendary independent bookstore has been a Buffalo community fixture for more than 45 years. A well-stocked store with thousands of titles, they actually have café tables on the sidewalk out front where customers can enjoy a coffee and read a few chapters. A very nice store with a busy events schedule. One of the few bookstores left that operates as a “co-op,” offering membership specials and perks to those who join. Talking Leaves also has another store, its original location, on Main Street near SUNY Buffalo. Many prefer the neighborhood feel of this one in the city.
Address: 951 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
One of the most popular independent bookstores in the Northeast. Located in the heart of busy Saratoga Springs, Northshire is a sister store to its iconic original location in Manchester Center, Vermont. One of Upstate’s largest bookstores, Northshire has several floors of ceiling-to-floor bookshelves crowded with every literary genre imaginable. They have an elevator for those who cannot handle stairs. Major authors, including New York Times bestselling writers, make their way to the Northshire for signings and events. The staff here is excellent. Perhaps one of the best independent bookstores in Upstate New York.
Address: 424 Broadway. Saratoga Springs
This venerable bookstore sits right in the middle of Brockport in Western New York, just two blocks from the famous Erie Canal lift bridge, which gives the store its name. Thousands of books are available here as well as games, puzzles, toys and gifts of all kinds. Very popular store for locals, tourists and students at nearby SUNY Brockport. A good neighbor to the area’s readers for more than half a century. Be sure and check out the sprawling folk-art mural of Brockport across the front of the building.
Address: 45 Main St., Brockport
Rough Draft Bar & Books is a bar and bookstore at the historic four corners intersection in Kingston, N.Y. Michelle Heimerman for NYup.comMichelle Heimerman for NYup.comRough Draft Bar & Books
Maybe the bookstore that is located in the most historic building of them all. Located at Kingston’s famous “Four Corners,” the Rough Draft Bar and Books building is one of four old Dutch-Colonial homes located at each of the four corners, built before the Revolutionary War, the only such intersection in the United States. Very cool place for a sip and a book.
Address: 82 John St., Kingston
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