Excellent bookstore. Delicious coffee and chai latte and a real cozy atmosphere. Just like the movies. Functional bathroom for customers. Nice 5 stars! read more

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5 stars! This bookstore/coffee/bar is the cutest hidden gem in soho. I came in during a rainstorm and ended up staying and reading with a glass of wine. So fun! read more

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I cannot stop thinking, raving and chatting about the time I had in this place. Especially as someone who deeply cares about those who are affected by HIV and AIDS. I was able to take my partner here during our romantic literary weekend!!! She was completely captivated by the selection of different books, the variety of poetry and overall ease of expression in here. The thrift shop was adorable and maintained well- they even had a selection of dishes. I really enjoyed the laid back coffee shop vibes, I enjoyed a chai latte and she a butterscotch latte.... They were both delectable. The croissants weren't amazing, they were run of the mill not exciting . But that wasn't the purpose of coming there anyway. The vibes are worth it and space is clean and inviting. I purchased probably the warmest sweater I'll ever own for only $20!!!! Overall I think it's a solid win! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

I came here for an event. The bookstore is large and has a cafe. I thought the staff was disorganized and unprepared for the event. They did not have enough people working the cafe so that slowed down the orders. They were handwriting dozens of orders on a piece of paper to manage them. Then they kicked us out of the event earlier than expected. I didn't get to browse because we got kicked out early but I would come back to browse the selection. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Part of the store - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

I love shopping at the bookstore, thriftstore and cafe. The barrista, TJ, is so friendly and i tried the Frozay, which was delicious. The cafe offers a wide variety of snack and adult drinks. TJ was also very helpful with assistance around the store. The staff is a very friendly. And they have entertainment and book signings. read more

A truly charming bookstore with the warmest, most welcoming staff! I went there for the first time to donate books, and I was immediately surprised by how wonderful the space is. As soon as you walk in, it feels like a wonderland--beautiful, spacious, and nicely decorated, with high ceilings that make it feel open and magical. The stairs leading up to the next level make it feel even more special, inviting you to explore and discover more around every corner. The staff was incredibly friendly, kind, and genuinely appreciative, which made the experience even better. Knowing that both donating and shopping support such a meaningful cause makes this place even more special. I'll definitely be back, not just to donate. If you are in the area, must stop by! You may find a book you've been looking for or just admire old books! read more

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Such a cute place to shop- especially if you're a swiftie, which I definitely am! This was featured in one of her songs and it was a lovely place to visit. I loved the Taylor-themed candles. They have a lot of gently used clothing items including shoes - which are priced extremely reasonably. I unexpectedly walked out with a new winter jacket ... and many other things including books! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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I was doing some shopping in Soho and wanted to take a quick breather before heading back home, so I found this cozy spot after a short search on yelp. I love a bookstore cafe vibe, so I immediately felt comfortable when I walked in. The two level space has books, vinyls, CD/DVDs, trinkets merch, and clothes. The coffee/drinks area is at the back with several small 2 to 3 person tables. The establishment was packed on a Saturday afternoon with people reading, spending time with friends/family, or just relaxing. I grabbed a latte and sat at a table just taking it all in. The space overall was quite roomy, and the very high ceilings made the space seem even larger than it actually was. I enjoyed my time here, and maybe I'll be back for one of their events sometime! read more

While the clothing selection wasn't personally my style and there wasn't a huge selection of books, I admired the open layout of the space. My favorite part of the bookstore was actually the cafe. I ordered a matcha latte with spicy mango syrup, which I would highly recommend. The mango flavor was sweet at first, but there was a slow spice that built up after I processed each sip. It was so good that my boyfriend got up to order a matcha latte after he took a few sips. The barista was very friendly and conversational. read more

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I visited several bookstores over a few days. The Strand. Mercer Street Books. Dashwood Books. Rizzoli. But Housing Works Bookstore is my favorite. First, this bookstore has a mission. Nearly all of their stock is donated (which contributes to the diversity of their selection). They are staffed with volunteers, so 100% of their profits go to lifesaving services, particularly HIV/AIDS patients. Their books are arranged in an organized way, with a bit of fun thrown in. For example, near the cafe, there is a stack of cocktail recipe books. There are sections on fiction, sci-fi, children's, self-help, art/photography. Records, CDs, vinyl, even a few VHS. They have other goods for sale as well, like hats, bags, shirts, home goods, art. Like a Goodwill with standards and a conscience. Their cafe is pretty cool. Coffees, basic wines and canned drinks, awesome service. Comfy tables to sit at, but rules on when you can use laptops and no wifi. I loved this welcoming, laid-back space and definitely plan to visit on the reg. read more

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My friend and I visited Housing Works last Saturday when we were exploring the neighborhood. It's a used bookstore and resale store (clothes, kitchen goods, etc.), and the proceeds from their sales goes to helping individuals living with HIV/AIDS and struggling with homelessness. It's good size with quite a it of inventory (everything from books to pots and pans and art and clothes). There's a cafe in the back, where I grabbed a tea after picking up a new paperback. My friend bought a sweater! It's a great shop with a great mission. Definitely worth stopping by if you're looking for a new book or other resale items! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

This was a wonderful stop in a trip to NY. I found neat clothing and accessories plus many other goodies at great prices.

Great place to hang with books and a cafe / bar. Toasted marshmallow chocolate was just ok. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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What are the chances you'll get to enjoy ALL the good stuff in one place-books, broken in stuff you didn't even know you needed, and beverages?! Awesome! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Beautiful! - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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The interior is so beautiful -- the books, the hanging lights -- everything is calming and aesthetically pleasing. The cafe is also great! I ordered a Chai Latte because that's what the friendly barista recommended and I was not disappointed. There are lots of tables to read, sip your drink, and hang out. But they do discourage use of laptops (though no one will stop you if you do have a laptop out) and there is no Wi-Fi and only one outlet that's sort of hidden (though technically you can connect to a free Wi-Fi network nearby). So it's not really one of those coffee shops you can do your work in, but it's a great place to read and chill! Also LOVE the mission of Housing Works and the book selection here -- you def feel good spending your money here because you know it's going to a wonderful cause. read more

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Housing Works Bookstore is different than your typical shop. It first caught my eye when I noticed its gorgeous interior as I walked by. Inside one of Soho's older buildings, the shop features gorgeous woodwork, giant columns and curved staircases that lead up to the second level. Towards the back is a cafe with some pretty lighting strung across overhead. There is a bathroom for customers off to the side (the other bathroom is for staff only). This is not some Barnes & Noble competitor. Housing Works Bookstore relies on donations and its profits all go towards causes like ending homelessness. I came here looking for books for my niece. The children's book section is ordered alphabetically by author's name so I just googled the books I wanted and...well, they didn't have any of the ones recommended online so I wound up just browsing the shelves until I found a couple she would like. They were priced very reasonably. They were in good condition and marked at about 30% off which was more than fair. The staff was very nice and helpful. I also noticed as I wandered around that the second level also had clothing and housewares for sale. If you're looking for a book in Soho I would definitely check out Housing Works. It is a beautiful store with a nice staff and you'll be helping a good cause. read more

The lady who makes the coffee/tea is so rude and it actually kills the vibe of the whole place.. you can tell she really put all her miserableness into the drinks she makes because they just taste sad. Was not a good experience. Another thing that happened was the lady who was cashing me out... I handed her my item and she repeatedly tried to peel the price sticker off as if i had put it there myself.. then she started scanning it and was repeatedly ringing it in to make sure I wasn't trying anything funny, she then got embarrassed and started turning red while I just stayed quiet looking at her. I got a really weird judgmental vibe in that place. Will not be visiting again. However the man who worked at the register in the coffee stand was very nice. That's all I have to say. read more

I absolutely love this bookstore. It is so cozy. You can literally get a hot drink at the cafe and browse books you want to purchase before purchasing. So cool. I love the feel of the store. The employees are friendly. Good finds on books from spirituality to jazz to memoir. Worth a visit if you are a book lover in NY. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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The Housing Works Bookstore is an extraordinary place-amazing books, wonderful housewares, gorgeous clothes and a delicious cafe. I never go in there without leaving with my hands full! (Recent find: a spectacular coat) Even more so, the Housing Works Bookstore is an incredible place to hold an event. We scheduled an evening of four writers - Melissa Giberson-LATE BLOOMER, C.O. Moed (IT WAS HER NEW YORK), Amy Ferris (MIGHTY GORGEOUS), Sherry Amatenstein (THE COMPLETE MARRIAGE COUNSELOR). We needed mics and a projector. We got that and more. The Bookstore marketing team - a tiny operation with a huge workload - took my amateur publicity poster and redesigned it into a professional and gorgeous image. Eventbrite RSVP was set up and we were incorporated into all their postings and emails. Everything was so well done and we were able to also use their materials for our own listings. The day of the event, the Bookstore staff set us up in split-second time and made sure our lack of technical acuity did not sabotage our presentations. We were so supported - not something that happens all the time when doing a book event AND OF COURSE my husband and I also brought home a beautiful lamp and some amazing books. It is one of the best places in NY. In the picture: Melissa Giberson-LATE BLOOMER, C.O. Moed (IT WAS HER NEW YORK), Amy Ferris (MIGHTY GORGEOUS), Sherry Amatenstein (THE COMPLETE MARRIAGE COUNSELOR). Books are available for sale at Housing Works Bookstore!Melissa Giberson-LATE BLOOMER, C.O. Moed (IT WAS HER NEW YORK), Amy Ferris (MIGHTY GORGEOUS), Sherry Amatenstein (THE COMPLETE MARRIAGE COUNSELOR). Books are available for sale at Housing Works Bookstore! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - from left to right: Melissa Giberson. C.O. Moed, Amy Ferris, and Sherry Amatenstein - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

Fun to explore and look around. Staff was very friendly and they also had a great café!

Bookstore with a purpose. They may not have the latest bestseller, but you will find little treasures of books once owned. I think this Camus I got for $6 had a sticker by Jack Gaver? You'd catch an air of nostalgia as you walk in, but also a whiff of hipster modernity. Patrons read quietly by the cafe and held conversations below a distracting noise. There were three pillars that support it slightly off the center, flanked by narrow balconies on each side, with their popular spiral staircase gracefully jutting down. Small cafe towards the rear selling unique cookies; I got the tahini flavoured one- nice spice! They also had some knit hats, scarves and tote bags for sale - all profits go to charity. read more

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Came because of Taylor Swift. Stayed for the ambiance and the books. Love it here! The work they do is amazing.

My friend and I recently did a bookstore crawl across NYC and I had put it on my list because of the cause and location - and she is a major Taylor Swift fan (iykyk). It was an incredibly dreary and rainy day when we went - so we were grateful we could just drop our umbrellas at the door and no one bothered them. We loved being able to roam around and look at their collection - there really are tons of genres represented. While warming up from the weather, we also grabbed some hazelnut oat milk lattes - and they were honestly some of the smoothest, most delicious lattes we'd had in the city! I don't know if it was the brand of oat milk or the type of espresso they were using but YUM! While we were there, there were some students studying for finals, as well as some parents with their kids - it was just a relaxing and welcoming environment! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

Good selection of books. Nice ambiance. Definitely a place you can grab a book, grab a coffee, and enjoy an afternoon, while making a small difference. The staff (volunteers) are lovely. If I lived in the neighborhood, I would be a regular. read more

Another perfect bookstore in the city. This place has a cute cafe section and books galore. A perfect place to chill in the Soho area to check out different books and grab a cup of Joe. Definitely will be back when I'm in the area. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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Cute store, lovely staff and even better if you can snag a table or a seat at the bar to read. Only reason I'm deducting a star is because the music is playing SO loud, with quite literally the worst music to have going on in the background while folks are trying to read and concentrate. read more

Great mission and premise, definitely worth visiting. Inventory is somewhat limited, but with a couple gems here and there. All depends what you're looking for. The upstairs is now for accessories and clothing. The employees were very friendly. The cafe had guidelines posted stating no laptops, no WiFi, limit of 90 mins; and outlets were covered to avoid public use. Felt bad for the employee who kept having to remind/point out the guidelines to people. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Outside - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

I originally came to this store because it is where Taylor Swift filmed the ending of the All Too Well video, but I stayed for the great books and prices! I love thrifting books and have never done it in such a beautiful place before this! The lights and the shelves going all the way up to the ceiling make it such a beautiful ambiance and atmosphere. I got a few books for a few bucks each. LOVE! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

This store is terrible for other than books. There used to be a Housing Works full thrift store next store to the Crosby Street bookstore which was mediocre but I still bought things there occasionally. The full next door thrift store was closed and absorbed by the bookstore seemingly to save money. Well the jewelry, clothes, knick-knacks, etc., moved over to the bookstore somehow are total junk. I mean absolute garbage! Why is this! Is someone stealing them? Are they going to the other Housing Works thrift stores? Bring back a full Housing Works thrift store to downtown Manhattan. We deserve one! Seriously!l read more

I've been a couple times and it's quite literally a dream. A combination of new and old books, located in Soho, Housing Works is an incredibly cool bookstore simultaneously committed to preserving literature and funding community orgs and HIV/AIDS research. Their store is beautiful with the dark wood details and high ceilings. Their staff, although a little pretentious, is super helpful and really really knows their store and their books. Whether you're a NY long time resident or a visiting Taylor Swift fan, support Housing Works!! read more

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I couldn't find any books on my "to read list" nor did I find anything particularly eyecatching other than an impressive stack of Junie B Jones books I used to marvel and read repeatedly as a kid. Very limited selection per genre or category but I guess for it to be a store consisting of purely donated inventory, that's to be expected. Cute setup though and a nice affordable cafe waits inside. Books range $5-15. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Staircase leading to more historical stuff upstairs - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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Housing Works is a downtown institution, and the largest community-based AIDS service organization in the country. I've been here for The Moth shows, and every now and then, I drop by to peruse books and get coffee. They have a huge selection of books ranging across all sorts of genres, whether it's cookbooks or children's books to fiction to biographies. They also have several tables downstairs and upstairs. There's never any space downstairs, so try upstairs as well. The coffee and tea aren't superb, but it's so cheap here! They do have almond milk available, too. Also, it's really sweet that the staff is made up of volunteers and that they are engaging the community through books, food, coffee, and events. Coming here is a cute idea for a low-key date, with someone else or with yourself! Just be patient with seating. Also, donate books or go to one of their events or workshops. Keep the good cause going! read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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This review is just for people looking for music bargains. I usually donate CD's here, and they're kept in a small and tidy section to the left as you move further into the store. The CD's don't appear to be in order, though they do try to separate out the soundtracks and Broadway musical albums. People do indeed go through these CD's and buy stuff - I've seen plenty of albums that I would have bought had I not owned them already, and if I ever come back within a week, they're usually gone. (This is partly why I come here - in addition to a great cause I believe in, the good stuff does get bought, so I feel like anything I drop off is probably going to a good owner, like a local student or another music aficionado. And everything I donate is stuff I like - I'm only donating it because I have other copies or upgraded to some other edition, and I don't like keeping multiple copies.) They also have a lot of Blu-rays, all put on a shelf/rack above the CD's, but the titles tend to be a little mainstream for my tastes. Best of all, the CD's and Blu-rays are cheap, sold at a low, flat price. read more

We walked in and were greeted by busy workers who gave me full attention when I asked questions. This bookstore only takes donations. They are a 501c3, so donations are the only way they bring books into the store. So they don't buy books from a wholesaler. Even with this knowledge, I found their books selections quite robust! I hung out in the 2nd floor a little bit, then went downstairs to the little coffee shop in the back and ordered a iced tea. A pleasant worker with a Michigan hat chopped it up with me about our U-M connections. Now I really feel more at home! There are tables for people to use for writing, computer time or just to meet up with friends. The place was full and based on the conversations I overheard, this is a literary hotspot. Yes there is free WiFi! 5 starts for a gem of bookstore in the heart of Soho! read more

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Can't imagine what they're doing all day that they can't ship my book- I LIVE IN NYC like I should not be waiting as long as I have been. Disappointed at the first impression read more

Our wedding was always going to be unconventional and Housing Works Bookstore was the absolute perfect venue for what we wanted. We had about 135 attendees (invited 160) and did a cocktail style dinner. Tomasz was extremely accommodating to our many requests, flexible to our needs and responsive throughout the process. The staff was amazing -- you truly can't beat the location, service or ambiance for the venue price PLUS your venue fees go to a wonderful mission and cause. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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This bookstore and coffee shop is genius and probably the last of its kind--bookstore cafe. It's tucked away in soho area and also connected to a thrift store. The bookstore itself is a nice size with many many books for purchase. The cafe is on the smaller side but quite nice. Only a handful of tables downstairs and some had cards with notes that read reserved. It has an upstairs section with a few more tables and chairs. My friend and I, made our way upstairs as downstairs had no seating available. We found seating accommodations and were able to enjoy our beverages. I got water (one of my favorite drinks) and chai is what my friend ordered. However, they also serve beer, pastries, sandwiches, and salads--also vegetarian options. So much goes on in this amazing bookstore cafe including live music. I mentioned earlier, how genius this bookstore cafe is well it gets better. Anything purchased here will be going for a great cause as all proceeds go towards helping the homeless community. It's a win win, it's almost like helping others is also helping yourself. I'm a big fan of establishments such as this one, your also helping someone else in need. There is a 24 hour fitness right next door. read more

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I was on my way to a completely different book store when I stumbled upon this shop today. I loved the ambiance and decor of the shop. There were gently used books for sale and I got two books for the price of 7 dollars ( one was the memoir by Obama) so such a steal. The cashier was really nice too. Next I ordered a latte and sat at the coffee bar for about two hours. I was left to my own devices and got to finish a book of mine I've been reading on and off because I've been so busy with work. This was such a nice treat and I will definetly visit again. read more

The bookstore reopened today, and the hours are 12-6 on Monday-Saturday & 12-5 on Sundays. The cafe remains closed, they're not currently accepting book donations at the store, and browsing time will be limited. read more

Housing is a cute and spacious old-timey feeling bookstore (kinda like the bookstore Belle goes to in Beauty and the Beast). They also have a little coffee shop with sandwiches and bakery snacks. I had an oatmeal raisin cookie once that they warmed up for me and it was such a great treat. Soft and perfectly spiced. It's also great place to work. My only gripe is that they have barely any accessible outlets, so you have to come with all your devices fully charged. read more

Housing Works Bookstore - Oatmeal raisin cookie - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

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