4 Fulton Street, New York, NY

The main branch of the McNally Jackson bookstore in Soho is, in some ways and to many people, the ideal bookstore. But this newer location brings bookselling to another level, one I’d describe as “this is what my dream house looks like, brick walls and leather chairs and room upon room upon room full of books…with a coffee shop.” Because that’s exactly what this gorgeous location is, save for me living there. Maybe one day! But until then, this bright and bountiful bookshop is a must-see literary spot for any NYC local or visitor.

The downstairs is relatively modest, with the cozy café to the left (which offers coffee, tea, wine, beer, and more) and one medium sized room full of books, floor to ceiling. This area consists of periodicals, notebooks and sketch pads, and the new releases in American fiction, science, business, art, and theory. Basically, if it dropped recently, this is the place you’ll want to check first. But the real action is upstairs, where the store expands into a gorgeous maze of rooms.

The style of the space balances between cozy den and spacious gallery, with plenty of room to browse but all sorts of little nooks to sit and read. To detail what rooms upstairs contain what kinds of books would be overkill, because it’s the kind of shop where you need to go browse and wander on your own, blazing your own path through their collection, but I will say they have a huge variety of fiction spanning many cultures, topics, and nationalities, with novels from nations in Europe, Africa, the Far East, in between and beyond, as well as areas for crime, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, graphic novels, and so much more.

The children’s section alone covers extensive ground, from the earliest board books to chapter, MG, and YA selections, all in a room with ottomans, chairs, and a lighthouse illuminating the shelves and displays.

The other rooms, adorned with stuffed chairs, leather couches, and numerous tables, cover almost any nonfiction subject imaginable, and of course hitting the major categories of history, travel, language, cooking, science, religion, and so on. The selection is extensive and covers a wide swath of editions, from brand new to some harder to find items, depending on the topic. One could spend hours browsing through the rooms here, that’s how wide-ranging the offerings are at this location.

And the location itself is beautiful, right in the heart of the revitalized Seaport neighborhood. It was a bit of a walk from the subway stop I used to get from midtown, but on a nice day, it’s an absolute treat to stroll the cobbled streets and watching the seaport with its old ships open up before you. For tourists and locals alike, this location is a gem. Highly recommended.

Atmosphere — Brick walls, dark woods, bright windows, comfy chairs, and a warren of rooms full of books. It’s a treat to explore.

Quality — There was a small section of older editions here, but for the most part the books are all brand new.

Quantity — A massive selection, especially once you get upstairs. A veritable trove of fiction from around the world, not just American-centric offerings.

Diversity — As stated, the variety of fiction is impressive, with plenty of indie offerings too. The range is top notch.

Affordability — The books were almost all new at new book prices, with a small discount section. If I recall the other branch had a larger discount section worth looking into.

Amenities — The café is small but offers a lot of options. There are many places to lounge throughout as well.

Location — Toward the southernmost tip of Manhattan right in the Seaport. Going here will be more of an adventure than the SoHo location.

Customer Service — The staff were all busy but friendly.

Overall — This shop is beautiful and bright, and loaded with rooms chock full of books from all over the world. It’s worth the visit, half for the books and half for the experience of being there!