London, GB | Formerly of New York, Buenos Aires, Fife, and the Western Cape. | Saoránach d’Éirinn.

End of the Line for Rizzoli Bookshop

Another New York bookshop bites the dust

In New York, good things are only allowed to last a little while: eventually they must all be destroyed. The latest to add to the pile is the Rizzolli bookshop on West 57th Street, which has received notice that the landlords intend to demolish the 109-year-old structure in which the bookshop is housed.

Rizzoli, publishers of some of the finest and most luxuriously printed books on the market, have not yet said whether they will be opening shop elsewhere.

If so, it would be the second move for the shop, which opened in 1967 at 714 Fifth Avenue (below), just around the corner. A developer tried to tear that building down as well, but preservationists managed to have the façade, with its lalique glass, incorporated into the new tower. It’s now home to Henri Bendel.

Other New York bookshops to close in recent years include the Librairie française, Coliseum Books, Gotham Book Mart, Urban Center Books, and further back more venerable institutions like Scribner’s and Brentano’s.

Top three photos: Mais Uma Pagina

Published at 7:00 pm on Wednesday 15 January 2014. Categories: Books Errant Thoughts New York.
Comments

57th Street is quickly becoming home to a number of uninspiring glass shards and boxes. Not very pleasing. At least, at the end of the street and a block over north, a rather elegant Robert Stern building is planned- the designs were just released today, actually. His buildings, perhaps, are the only ones that look like they belong in New York.

K. Dontoh 16 Jan 2014 1:12 am

Rizzoli! For many years the final stop of the day – always filled, not only with beautiful books, but with beautiful people too.

L Gaylord Clark 16 Jan 2014 8:35 pm

Beautiful books, beautiful building, what a sad loss.
I love following this exceptional blog and part of the reason is my fascination with the idea that anyone can pull it off. The information is far reaching and eclectic and I’m amazed the anyone with what seems to be such an exceptionally busy life manages to find the time to produce something as unique and fun as it is? Andrew, where on earth do you find the time? You must have incredible focus and energy.

N. Dupuis 19 Jan 2014 10:45 pm

One of the last great bookstores. Hate to see it close.

F. Worrall 26 Jan 2014 6:27 am

I hope they manage to relocate. It’s such a treasure of a bookstore.

Harold 27 Jan 2014 7:29 pm

What a shame to tear that place down!! That’s horrible.

Valeria Kondratiev 10 Mar 2014 6:46 pm

How disappointed am I was going for my 3rd visit from England on Xmas eve whilst staying in NYC after a week’s sailing in queen Mary 2 ..was going to purchase my husband’s Xmas present… very sad x

chrissy 13 Dec 2014 12:10 am
Leave a comment

NAME (required)

EMAIL (required)

WEBSITE (not required)

COMMENT

Home | About | Contact | Paginated Index | Twitter | Facebook | RSS/Atom Feed
andrewcusack.com | © Andrew Cusack 2004-present (Unless otherwise stated)