Bauman Rare Books

This feels like the star Barnes & Noble of New York and maybe the United States. It’s the survivor of the Amazon era, the big multi-leveled book palace with live events and readings. One of the best cross-sections of New Yorkers from all walks of life. So big you can get lost and drift among the stacks. It’s a neighborhood anchor and the departmental image of analog-era, transitional era New York, caught like a beacon of the 1990s moment when much was lost but so much still remained. It just feels like the B&N so many New Yorkers have browsed and bought at. We’re so far from “You’ve Got Mail,” but you can sense that nostalgia for those relatively benign problems here. It’s the mess we want. And by the way: great book selection among the many shelves and sections.

I love Barnes & Noble. They had so many options to choose from in terms of books, novels, comic books and accessories that you can spend the whole day there. What I don’t like is that they are so strict when it comes to use the bathroom. They used to be more generous.

Biggest Barnes & Noble branch in the area offering a vast collection of books, DVDs (in 2025!), cards, legos, art, and more. A cafe serving Starbucks coffee and externally-sourced baked goods is located on the third floor. I had an Autumn quiche and was quite happy with how it tasted. The cafe has a big seating area where you can read a book while enjoying a treat or play board games with complete strangers.