About Us — Alabaster Bookshop

Welcome to Alabaster Bookshop

Tucked along 4th Avenue just off Union Square, Alabaster Bookshop is the kind of place that pulls you in and makes you lose track of time. We're a small, independent secondhand bookshop with a big personality — a quiet, cluttered, wonderful corner of New York where books, music, and conversation all mix together.

What We're Known For

If you love 20th century literature, you've come to the right place. Our shelves are unusually deep in well-preserved vintage editions, and we take real pride in the condition of what we sell. Alongside the classics, you'll find surprisingly rich little specialized sections — opera, New York history, art, and more — each one built with care and depth.

Prices on desirable vintage editions skew toward the collector, but there's genuinely something here for everybody. Whether you're an aficionado hunting a rare find or just wandering in off the street, you're welcome to browse.

More Than Just Books

Look closely and you'll find gems hidden among the randomness — that's part of the charm of a real secondhand shop. We also carry magazines (great for collages, just ask), and even vintage photographs for sale. And yes — we're told we have the best background music of any bookshop in NYC.

Come Say Hello

Fair warning: we're small, and sometimes we get crowded — especially when someone treats us as a meetup spot. But that's all part of the experience. Stop in, get drawn in, and stay a while.

📍 122 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003 📞 +1 212-982-3550

Alabaster Bookshop — a rare bookshop that hits different.