Strand

 

Many years ago, before the Internet existed, someone told me about Strand Bookstore.  It opened in 1927 And it is both huge and famous, their motto is "18 miles of books."  The original store is at 12th street and Broadway two blocks south of Union Square.  I would go there because brand new books were all sold at 50% of cover price.  And of course they had all kinds of used books as well.  I remember going there to "browse" and coming home with six large, used, photographic books in a shopping bag.  I am a book junkie so the Strand was always like catnip for me.  The photo above is the kiosk they have on 5th Avenue, just north of 59th street which is only open when the weather is nice.  I have bought a few books here as well!  Seeing it yesterday on my walk up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art reminded me that I bet I haven't been to the original Strand in more than 30 years!  Why not?  The Internet.  We bought our first desktop computer in about 1993, A Macintosh, and within a year or two, something called "Amazon" started and all it sold at first were books.  I should have bought Amazin stock!  I have way too many books, of course, so that reminds me I should not go down to the Strand to see the store, unless someone else carries my wallet!