Astoria Bookshop
Astoria Bookshop is an independent bookstore in Queens. A LGBTQ-owned, woman-owned business founded by Lexi Beach in 2013, it sells books in various genres, hosts regular events with authors, facilitates a book club, and occasionally runs holiday book drives.[1] Originally located on 31st Street in Astoria, it moved to a larger location on 30th Street in 2023.
History
[edit]Beach worked in the publishing industry for several years. Hearing from peers and friends that Astoria was lacking in bookstores, Beach thought about opening a bookstore of her own. She and her wife, Connie Rourke, opened Astoria Bookshop a year later, in 2013.[2][3] In August 2023, Beach moved Astoria Bookshop from its old address, 31-29 31st Street, to a larger storefront nearby on 36-19 30th Street.[4][5]
The bookstore has hosted events with authors like Roxane Gay, Elizabeth Sanders, Judy Blume, Erik Didriksen, Dave Roman, Samantha Berger and Isabel Roxas, Stephen Savage, Ananda Lima, and others.[2][6][7][8]
In the media
[edit]Staff from Astoria Bookshop have been interviewed in several publications including LitHub, BuzzFeed News, and Electric Literature.[9][10][11] In 2019, Beach wrote an op-ed in Electric Literature about her decision to not stock The Wizenards, a children's series published by Kobe Bryant's Granity Studios, in Astoria Bookshop due to Bryant's sexual assault case.[12]
The bookstore has also been mentioned in numerous articles and lists about bookstores in Thrillist and others.[13] And Other Stories named it bookshop of the month for August of 2023.[3] Time Out New York ranked it second for best bookstores in New York City, stating it "delivers a much-needed dose of lit to the neighborhood" and featured it in other lists.[14][15] AFAR called it a bookstore in the city that they love.[16] Tinybeans included it on a list of New York City's best independent bookstores for kids.[17] It has been featured on several lists about LGBTQ bookstores in NBC, O, The Oprah Magazine, and others.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ "Astoria Bookshop's Favorite New Books, Book Drives, & End-Of-Year Updates - Queens Gazette". Queens Gazette -. 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ a b Frank, Elizabeth (2015-08-10). "An Interview with Lexi Beach, Owner of Astoria Bookshop". English Kills Review. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ a b Zankar, Nikita (2023-08-23). "Bookshop of the Month: Astoria Bookshop". And Other Stories. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Marcos, Coral Murphy (2023-02-27). "Astoria Bookshop To Relocate To Bigger Space This Spring". Patch. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Shkurhan, Iryna (2023-08-23). "Astoria Bookshop Turns Page on 10 Years". Queens Ledger. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
- ^ DeCuir, Marissa (2022-09-15). "An interview with Emily Giglierano of Astoria Bookshop". Books Forward. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ "In Brief: August 8, 2024". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ "Astoria Bookshop's Upcoming Events". Queens Gazette -. 2024-10-24. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Morgan, Katherine (2020-11-25). "About That Wave of Anti-Racist Bestsellers Over the Summer…". Literary Hub. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Rebolini, Arianna (2021-03-22). "42 Great Books To Read, Recommended By Our Favorite Indie Booksellers". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Lou, Jo (2024-11-01). "The Best Books of the Fall, According to Indie Booksellers". Electric Literature. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Beach, Lexi (2019-03-19). "Kobe Bryant's Children's Book Is Not Welcome in My Store". Electric Literature. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Baskette, Izzy (2024-01-04). "Find Your Next Great Read at the Most Beloved Independent Bookstores in NYC". Thrillist. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Gibert, Tiffany; Culgan, Rossilynne Skena (April 30, 2024). "The best bookstores in NYC". Time Out New York.
- ^ "The best things to do in Astoria, Queens". Time Out New York. July 19, 2024.
- ^ "Independent Bookstores in New York City That We Love". AFAR Media. 2020-04-23. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Geikhman, Yuliya (2020-12-07). "NYC's Best Independent Bookstores for Kids". Tinybeans. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Godio, Mili; Malin, Zoe; Avery, Dan (2024-06-11). "How shopping LGBTQ+ owned brands supports the entire Queer community". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-11-12.