New Bookstore Coming To Former Home Of St. Mark's Bookshop

EAST VILLAGE, NY — A new bookstore is preparing to open in the East Village, in the same spot as the beloved St. Mark's Bookshop.

The new store is preparing to open at 136 E. 3rd St., as first reported by EVGrieve. The location was the last home of St. Mark's Bookshop, which moved from its namesake street multiple time before closing in 2016 after 38 years in the neighborhood.

St. Mark's Bookshop spent much of its life at 31 Third Ave., near Cooper Square, before it moved to the smaller storefront at 136 E. Third St.

Documents filed with the city's Department of Buildings show that the art gallery and bookseller Karma has taken over the lease on 3rd St. The bookseller currently has an existing location just a block away from its new storefront at 188 E. 2nd St. The company also has a location in Amagansett, New York, according to its website.

A representative of Karma did not respond to emails from Patch seeking additional information about plans for the bookstore or when it would open.

A new bookstore would be welcome news for the East Village, which has been devastated by the loss of many longstanding institutions. Stores like St. Mark's Bookshop have been forced to close their doors or move to cheaper rents, causing neighborhood favorites to increasingly disappear.

Image credit: Courtesy of Google Maps