The Corner Bookstore

The Corner Bookstore is an independent bookstore located at 1313 Madison Avenue at 93rd Street in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It opened in 1978 after its founders purchased an 1890s brick-and-brownstone building in 1976 and restored the ground-floor commercial space, which had previously housed a pharmacy for nearly 50 years. The store quickly became a local institution, known for its carefully curated selection of current fiction and nonfiction across sections including history, biography, travel, cookbooks, parenting, poetry, mysteries, and art. It places particular emphasis on children's books, reflecting the many young families drawn to Carnegie Hill by its private schools. The Corner Bookstore offers a range of services including special orders, free delivery on the Upper East Side, custom book baskets, free gift wrapping, house charge accounts, and gift certificates. It also runs a Kids Newsletter featuring reviews by neighborhood children. The store remains an active, privately owned business and a fixture of its landmark neighborhood.

The Corner Bookstore was founded by Ray and his spouse, who in 1976 purchased an 1890s brick-and-brownstone 'handyman special' on the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and 93rd Street in Manhattan. The ground-floor commercial space had been occupied by a pharmacy for almost 50 years and retained an exquisite 1920s interior with a terrazzo floor, tinned ceiling, and wood cabinetry, all hidden beneath layers of grime and paint. Ray, a skilled craftsman, restored the space to its former elegance. Recognizing that their neighborhood of young families and private schools lacked a bookstore, the couple decided to open one themselves. The name was inevitable: as Ray said, 'We're on the corner of Madison Avenue and 93rd Street. No matter what we name it, it's going to be called The Corner Bookstore!' Ray designed an old-fashioned storefront and made the sign by cutting wooden letters with a jigsaw and gilding them with 14-carat gold-leaf foil. The store opened in 1978 and quickly became a mecca for book-hungry Carnegie Hill. After establishing the bookstore, the founders tackled the restoration of the building's exterior, removing dull grey paint to reveal the original red brick and brownstone. The process involved smearing a yellow-green paste over the building, which prompted neighbors to ask if they planned to paint it that hideous green; the neighborhood breathed a sigh of relief when the paste was washed away. Pots of bright-red geraniums and hanging ivy were installed as finishing touches. Over the decades, The Corner Bookstore has remained a fixture of the community, known for its curated selection and special services. It continues to host author events and maintains a strong children's section, including a Kids Newsletter featuring reviews by local children.

• 1978

  The Corner Bookstore opens, becoming an instant mecca for Carnegie Hill readers.

• 1976

  Ray and his spouse purchase an 1890s building at Madison Avenue and 93rd Street.

• Restoration of the building's exterior reveals original red brick and brownstone.

• Kids Newsletter launched, featuring reviews by neighborhood children.

A neighborhood independent bookstore committed to carrying 'only the best of the best' across all sections, with a strong focus on children's literature and personalized service.

• Books (fiction and nonfiction)

• Children's books

• Special orders

• Book baskets

• Gift certificates

1. 1Home - Corner Bookstorecornerbookstorenyc.com
2. 2History - Corner Bookstorecornerbookstorenyc.com
3. 3About - Corner Bookstorecornerbookstorenyc.com
4. 4Special Services - Corner Bookstorecornerbookstorenyc.com
5. 5The Corner Bookstore - Wikidatawikidata.org