Books Are Magic
AUTHOR Arianne Gonzalez
Cobble Hill’s local bookstore was closing, and Emma Straub knew that the community couldn’t afford to lose it. “We can’t live in a neighborhood without a bookstore,” she thought. “We either have to move or open it up, a store.” And so, by spring of 2017, Books Are Magic opened its doors.
From the unassuming entryway to every shelf, the store was built with the community in mind. Inside is a lively space full of books, pink walls, neon lights, and upbeat music providing a fun and comfortable atmosphere. The owners Emma and Mike Straub, who are parents themselves, have made sure they made a kid-friendly space, accessible to the many families throughout the neighborhood. This can be seen by the many kids roaming around the store, reading with their parents on bean bags, or in a quiet corner in the cutaway “hidey-hole.”
“It was such a passion project for them,” says communications director, Colleen Callery. “It really was about like, creating a space they wanted to come to every day.”
Callery has been with Books are Magic since the beginning, and emphasized the idea of civic-engagement the Straubs for with the store. “I think it was like mostly about being a community space,” she stated. “At least, in our ideal world … We try to host, you know, lot of programming that we feel like is engaging, that’s supporting authors that we love, that are, that also is like serving people that live here and nearby that can come and visit. We have like, a lot of kids programming for those families and people that are around during the day.”
Books Are Magic has run multiple campaigns to aid the community. Most recent, they just ended a campaign with Everytown, the movement calling for gun safety in America. In collaboration with designer Carson Ellis, they sold tote bags, with the proceeds going to the movement, and raised over $10,000 for the cause. “We’re just always trying to be really good neighbors,” said Callery.
As small as space is, they have also held multiple events for book releases and readings. With an event practically every night, they are booked out months in advance. The importance of hosting different authors and various launch parties is also a key factor for Books Are Magic, as Emma Straub is a writer herself. Her knowledge of the publishing industry has invariably aided them in the business and helps inform their book and author selections. This, Callery expressed, is what makes Books Are Magic unique to other bookstores—especially retail chains. “We need to make sure that we are hosting people we want to host. That we’re reaching the kinds of people that we want to reach. That people feel like they can know they can call us to order a book even if we don’t have it on the shelves.”
Books are Magic also has a monthly subscription service—both fiction and nonfiction—composed of books the staff love and want to share. “I try to think of them as the books that we really love, that we want, that we want other people to read that they may have not picked up on their own,” Callery shares. “We just try to do things that we all feel really good about internally. Again, and just hope that people love what we’re sending them.”
They are aware that they may be one of the many indie bookstores in Brooklyn, but Callery stated, “I feel like Brooklyn has a ton of indie bookstores, but they’re thirsty for them. When we were first opening people were coming in just being, like, ‘I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you’re here. Please don’t ever leave.’ Even if things aren’t as fast, or, as like, perfect.”
Being a small storefront does present its challenges. With a small team and space with limited shelving, it is hard to know when to say no to authors or events that they would not be able to cater to. “I think it’s realizing our limitations,” disclosed Callery. But that does not discourage them. “We have dreams of like, one day, having a much more, bigger space. It would be really cool to have a proper space, or like, I don’t know, like a writing residency, or something. Like, have visiting writers, or even booksellers, like traveling booksellers to come in.”
Independent bookstores are important fixtures in the community. As Callery expresses, “I feel like you can really find yourself in places like this, which I know sounds kind of corny and cheesy, but, as general spaces, they tend to be really interesting. They have really cool people. And there’s a ton of freedom here.” She also mentioned an online platform that supports independent bookstores all over the country and emphasized used bookshops. “Somewhere that you can go to that isn’t this huge monolith that is slowly crushing--maybe not so slowly, that is quickly crushing all of our retail structures.”
When asked on how to support your local bookstore, Callery said, “You should always try to check out your local spots, even if they’re not, even if you think you know they’re like… like, check them out yourself. Whether it’s a bookstore, or I don’t know a restaurant or clothing store.”