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    Better Read Than Dead

    4.8 (11 reviews)
    InexpensiveBookstores
    Open 12:30 pm - 6:30 PM

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    11 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Better Read Than Dead

    The sort of alley that makes nyc still feel like it has some life left.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Little Bookshop - Grilled cheese and tomato soup

    The Little Bookshop

    4.6(24 reviews)
    0.7 miEast Williamsburg

    Absolutely loved this place. A friend from outside of NY sent me a video of The Little Bookshop on…read moreInstagram, so I made a mental note to visit. Came here with a girlfriend early afternoon and wow. First, while exiting the entrance of the L train, the scent of good food hit my nose. Without knowing exactly where the shop was but that it was one min away, I only hoped that the aroma was coming from there. I was in for a treat because it was. I received a warm greeting when I entered and ordered a matcha latte to start and then my friend and I each had the vegan butter bean stew and shared a grilled cheese. My expectations weren't high for soup at a bookshop but oh my word, that was the best soup I've had in a while. I practically devoured it, scraping the bowl with the toasted, buttery biscuit it was paired with. The vegan sausage is crumbled and has (to my vegetarian palate) such a convincing meaty taste, that after several bites I had to remind myself that I did in fact order the vegan version. We split a grilled cheese which isn't your typical gooey American or cheddar on sliced bread. It was more of an airy baguette and pepper jack. I still enjoyed it. Overall, such a lovely cafe, with welcoming, family vibes. It's quite on the other side of town for me but I will certainly make the trip.

    This might've been some of the best soup I've ever had in my life…read more This is one of the stops on a Bookstore crawl. I did with a group of friends. It was an amazing experience. The owner stopped by and gave us a couple of samples of soup and told us a little bit of history about her work there. Cozy vibes, warm. All around 10 out of 10 experience.

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    The Little Bookshop - Inside

    Inside

    The Little Bookshop
    The Little Bookshop - Sweet tea& crocheting in the Book Nook

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    Sweet tea& crocheting in the Book Nook

    Molasses Books

    Molasses Books

    4.2(69 reviews)
    0.7 miBushwick
    $

    I stumbled upon this used bookstore while looking for something to do as my cat got her dentist…read morevisit completed 2 blocks away. It's so lovely with a nice vibe. The music was at the perfect volume and it was very small and cozy. The espresso is terrible imo but the pumpkin cake makes up for it. I would love to come here again and I really admire the free book station outside. I wish I didn't live an hour and some change away or else I'd definitely come here again/ more often

    Few things in this life get me off like a cozy independent book store. I romanticize tf out of…read moreplaces like Molasses Books. I felt like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, or William S. Burroughs when I was in here. It made me want to be in a white button down with the sleeves rolled up, tucked into some pinstripe suit pants, with some trendy glasses on while I rip away at a typewriter between puffs of a cigarette. Instead I was in short shorts and a plain white T smh. Shelves of thoroughly used books engulf the walls, smooth jazz plays subtly in the background, as the young patrons of Bushwick have intimate conversations. A lot of passion in here. A lot of freedom. I got an americano because I'm beast, and the espresso was quality. I knew I was in good hands when one of the Bushwick creatives was making it. Not much else I need in this life than a cozy book store and good espresso... well a couple hundred million would be nice too. Ig @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews

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    Molasses Books
    Molasses Books
    Molasses Books

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    Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers

    Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers

    3.5(146 reviews)
    1.7 miWilliamsburg - North Side
    $$

    I came to this place to browse and also sell a few used books I had. This place is a cute, small…read morebookstore. As cute as it was, it was also kind of disorganized, though. I had trouble looking for some of the books I wanted since some of the categories were all over the place. I was also confused on if any books were used or new, since some of them looked like they had been opened up and read a few times, or had some very minor damages. The person working at the station where I could sell used books was polite and quick with her job.

    Just the cute name of the bookstore would definitely make me wanna go inside to take a look around…read more Name of bookstore really reminds me of the nursery rhyme starting with the lines of "Sugar and spice...And everything nice" in a way. Size of the place is rather decently small and narrowly-spaced. So, make sure to be extra careful not to knock anything over with your backpack or handbag. When I entered the bookstore, my eyes darted across the room and immediately landed on the cover of a huge and friendly, gray and fuzzy fellow. It was none other than the familiar Totoro himself! Had to flip through the pages of the heavy, hardcover book right away just because how much I love Ghibli Studio and Totoro in general! The selection of books is actually pretty reasonable with different genres like historical fiction, fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, travel, history, memoir, children's books, and so on. Besides books of all types, they also sell canvas totes, stickers, magnets, posters, sketchbooks, stationary, notebooks and postcards just to name a few as examples. Price range can vary but usually more on the expensive side depending on what you happen to buy from the bookstore. Even if you don't plan on making a purchase, I think it's still a great indoor activity (whether just by yourself or with family) to stay away from the cold for the time being. Lastly, I just love their cozy vibes so much and want to stay back for quite some time.

    Photos
    Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers - Bookshelf of Colorful Books

    Bookshelf of Colorful Books

    Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers - Interior

    Interior

    Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers - Time to curl up with a good book!

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    Time to curl up with a good book!

    Desert Island

    Desert Island

    4.3(111 reviews)
    1.3 miWilliamsburg - North Side
    $$

    Funky cool little shop to browse the shelves and purchase comics, graphic novels, independent…read morepublications, and a selection adult underground comics. Very diverse inventory, including foreign comics, and something for most everyone's taste if you're into this genre. It's a perfect fit for Brooklyn as a small biz and good to see its still around.

    The owner has attempted to discredit/deny to escape accountablity and unfortunately for him I won't…read moreallow it. There was nothing calm about you in that interaction and you can see by other low responses on here that my experience is consistent with many others. You didn't say one word to me before you told me about pictures (which is why your attached response is especially dangerous in how you portray yourself). You were so set on being angry that you didn't even take a moment to realize you were wrong. I understand the rules, I wasn't breaking them. It's unforunate that you've decided to create mistruths to protect yourself. He is grossly mistepping boundaries as a store owner. A quick scroll will show reviews from almost a decade ago documenting similar patterns of inappropriate behavior. Yet in his response he says he came up to me calmly and quietly lol You know that didn't happen. I would have respected a bit of honesty. I've screenshotted the owners response to my previous review below. Hopefully this provides more context and will protect other customers from similar uncomfortable experiences.

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    Desert Island
    Desert Island
    Desert Island

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    Better Read Than Dead - bookstores - Updated July 2026

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