Late last month, American booksellers hit a major milestone. Across the United States, 2,000 bookshops celebrated Independent Bookstore Day—breaking participation records. Based on trends from early 2026, the independent bookstore scene in NYC remains strong, with at least 34 independent bookstores in Brooklyn alone participating in the 2026 Brooklyn Bookstore Crawl last month. Above: The Lit.Bar, 131 Alexander Avenue, Mott Haven, The Bronx, is the first brick and mortar bookstore serving the 1.4 million people and 10 colleges and universities of the Bronx 

Many indie bookshops take on the role of a town square. And offer events like book signings with an emerging author, discussion groups that dive into the latest bestseller, or readings for children—events which foster connections that bring together communities of all ages and demographics. They often serve as what sociologist Ray Oldenburg famously termed third places. “Third places are locations outside of work and home, where people can gather and connect. Bookstores have clearly become more than just places to buy books, though that’s obviously a big part of it. They’re a place to meet other people, foster conversation, and bolster neighborhood ties."  Above: The Ripped Bodice, 218 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY is an independent brick-and-mortar bookstore devoted to the celebration of romance novels. It was the first romance bookstore opened in the Northern Hemisphere

DARTs celebration and support continues with a report on some of the best bookstore/café’s, headed by the 2025 opening of BEM, a black-owned food bookstore in Brooklyn. Feast on! 

BEM | books & more [above] is the nation’s first Black food bookstore, café, and culinary hub, existing at the intersection of all things Black, culinary & literary. This month, BEM hosts a festival in honor of the 50th anniversary reissue of Edna Lewis' seminal cookbook The Taste Of Country Cooking, with a new foreword by author, editor, and culinary journalist Toni Tipton-Martin.

In collaboration with The Edna Lewis Foundation (ELF) and food world luminaries working in Miss Lewis’ legacy, offering an opportunity for readers, food and beverage professionals, and culinary enthusiasts to engage with The Taste Of Country Cooking across interdisciplinary programs through Sunday, May 10.

BEM | books & more, 373 Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Map & Hours

Manhattan

McNally Jackson 4 Fulton Street. The South Street Seaport location is a standout for its historic charm and ground-floor bar and café. The SoHo original, at 54 Prince Street,  remains a classic, featuring a lively café where people congregate amid floating books,

Bibliotheque, 54 Mercer Street [above]. This modern, design-forward hybrid functions as a café and bookstore by day and transforms into a sophisticated wine bar after 5 p.m.. [1, 2]

Book Club Bar, 197 3^rd Street. This East Village shop feels like a cozy living room, serving locally roasted coffee by day and New York State beers and wine by night and hosts six different book clubs, with a packed readings and events calendar.

 Housing Works Bookstore, 126 Crosby Street. Now in its third decade, this neighborhood stalwart offers a spacious café and a massive selection of used books, with all proceeds supporting advocacy for people living with HIV/AIDS

Brooklyn

Liz's Book Bar [above], 315 Smith Street, Brooklyn. A relatively new addition in Brookyn, it features an inviting mahogany bar serving Black Acres Roastery coffee and charcuterie boards alongside a leather-couch-filled reading area.—and hosts two in-store book clubs. 

Cafe con Libros, 724 Prospect Place, Brooklyn. An intersectional feminist bookstore and coffee shop that centers women and girls of color in its curation while serving excellent lattes in a wood-clad, intimate space

 Hive Mind Books & Coffee Shop, 219 Irving Avenue, Brooklyn. This independent queer bookstore  is laptop-friendly and pairs a curated selection of new and used titles with a full coffee shop and a full menu of co-writing workshops and book readings.

Queens

Topos Bookstore Café [above], 788 Woodward Avenue, Queens. A neighborhood staple on  known for its well-curated used book selection and quality coffee, complete with outdoor sidewalk seating. You can also sell your gently used books at Topos.

In Memorium

Archestratus Books + Foods, 164 Huron Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn. 

Archestratus, which closed on April 26^th after 10 years in business,  represented the best of Greenpoint—scrappy, creative, and community-oriented. Owner Paige Lipari shared the decision in an Instagram post. “We hopscotched from the best Christmas in our history (2024) to our worst spring last year. Followed by our worst summer, our worst Fall, and a Christmas that was 30 to 40 percent down,” she wrote. “We also simply can’t afford our own food products due to tariffs and rising costs,” echoing a sentiment shared by so many small business owners we’ve spoken to recently. Vivid evidence for supporting your local indie bookstore.