Been spending most our lives, living in a book lover's paradise

In 1927, New Yorker Ben Bass invested $300 of his own money, plus some from a friend, to open a small bookstore on Fourth Avenue in Greenwich Village. 

Bass named his store “The Strand”, after the London street popular with writers and book publishers of the time.  The unassuming store joined forty-seven others that spanned the six city blocks known as “Book Row” and within a very short time, it had become a haven for local authors, readers, and book-sellers alike. 

 

Ben’s son Fred joined the business when he returned home from WW2 and in 1957, The Strand moved to larger premises around the corner on Broadway and 12^th Street.  A few years later, Ben’s daughter Nancy also joined the team as co-manager. 

If you approach The Strand today, you’ll see carts on the footpath that contain bargain books for $1 and upwards.  Step inside however, and you’ll find an incredible 18 miles of shelving containing over 2.5 million books and book-related merchandise.  And for a true piece of history, you can even rent the store’s Rare Book Room for private events, an historic space where leather-bound classics and many first editions line the walls. 

Whether you’re a bibliophile yourself, or you just know someone who is, one visit to The Strand will cater to all your literary tastes and temptations.