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 Argosy Book Store (inside) | |
| Industry | Specialty retail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1925 (1925) |
| Founder | Louis Cohen |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Out-of-print and rare books; antique maps and prints; autographs & manuscripts |
| Owner | Judith Lowry, Naomi Hample, Adina Cohen, Ben Lowry |
Number of employees | 17 |
| Website | https://www.argosybooks.com/ |
TheArgosy Book Store isNew York City's oldestindependent bookstore. Located at 116 East59th Street, betweenPark andLexington Avenues inMidtown Manhattan, it occupies an entire six-storytownhouse with various sales floors specializing infirst editions,Americana, leather bindings, antique maps and prints, and autographs.[1] The store, also noted for a wide selection of bargain books, has its own framing and shipping departments and owns a large warehouse inBrooklyn.
The Argosy was founded in 1925 by Louis Cohen,[2] who picked the name, in part, because it started with the letter "A" and would be listed early in telephone directories.[3] Originally located in the old Bible House onFourth Avenue's famed "Book Row," it moved to 114 East 59th Street in the 1930s[4] and then moved next door to its current address in 1964 when the previous building was replaced with a skyscraper. Cohen's wife, Ruth Shevin, managed the store's art gallery into her 90s[5] and worked with several other family members over the years. Now in its third generation of family ownership, the store is operated by Cohen's three daughters and grandson.[6]
Since its inception, the Argosy has worked with many prominent customers, including PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt, who ordered books from an early catalogue, and later First LadyJacqueline Kennedy, who needed help stocking theWhite House library with Americana.[5] PresidentBill Clinton has been aregular customer[7][8] ever since the owners restored his flood-damagedcollection of books inChappaqua, New York.[9] Other high-profile customers have includedMichael Jackson,[5]Stephen Sondheim,[5]Princess Grace,[10]Sally Field,[11]Donatella Versace,[12]Oriana Fallaci,[13] andKevin Rudd.[14]Patti Smith was briefly an employee in 1967.[15]
In October 2012 the Argosy suffered extensive damage duringHurricane Sandy, when bricks dislodged from the 32nd story of the adjacent building and crashed through the store's roof. The resulting flood affected the top two floors and destroyed many historical artifacts, including acts of Congress signed byThomas Jefferson.[16] The store made a full recovery by the fall of 2013.
The Argosy, known for its elegant old-world interior,[17] has been used as a setting for movies and TV dramas, includingThe Front withWoody Allen,Law and Order, andPerson of Interest.[6] Alfred Hitchcock's filmVertigo also features a bookstore of the same name situated in San Francisco. It has also been used as a background for fashion shoots and television interviews. It was prominently featured in the 2018 movieCan You Ever Forgive Me? and is among the New York bookstores where the real-lifeLee Israel had attempted to sell her forgeries. It was also featured in the 2019 movieThe Goldfinch.
The store and its history are one of the subjects of the 2019 documentaryThe Booksellers.[18] The Argosy was also the subject of an article byJanet Malcolm inThe New Yorker.[19]
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40°45′45″N73°58′09″W / 40.7624°N 73.9691°W /40.7624; -73.9691
