Spoonbill & Sugartown Books
Bookstore in Brooklyn, New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spoonbill & Sugartown Books is an American independent bookstore on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1999, it sells new, used, and rare books in a variety of genres with emphasis on art, design, and architecture.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
| Spoonbill & Sugartown Books | |
|---|---|
Inside of the bookstore in 2024 | |
 Interactive map of the Spoonbill & Sugartown Books area | |
| General information | |
| Location | 218 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211 |
| Coordinates | 40.71676°N 73.95923°W |
History
In 1999, Spoonbill & Sugartown Books was founded by Miles Bellamy and Jonas Kyle on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. Bellamy and Kyle had met each other working at another bookstore for a few months in the eighties. Originally, the two scouted Tribeca for the bookstore's location but settled in Williamsburg.[1] In 2003, Quentin Rowan joined as an owner.[2]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the bookstore elected to stay open, citing it as a crucial decision for the bookstore's survival. The book's staff worked with "reduced hours" and only permitted "six customers at a time." They also ran a fundraiser on GoFundMe to sustain the bookstore's operations, raising over $100,000 by June of 2020.[3][4] In 2021, Bellamy stepped down from co-ownership of the bookstore.[5]
Past events have included "Paul Auster, Leslie Scalapino, Eileen Myles; artists like Vito Acconci, Lisa Yuskavage; critics and curators such as Jed Perl, Bob Nickas," and others.[1]
In the media
Spoonbill & Sugartown Books has appeared in numerous publications. Co-owners Bellamy and Kyle have been profiled in The New Yorker, The Brooklyn Rail, and other magazines.[6][1] The bookstore's cats, Hayes and Rainer, have also been profiled.[7][8] Racked included it in a list of the 20 best independent bookstores in New York City, as well as an article about where to shop in Williamsburg.[9][10] Condé Nast Traveler has written about the bookstore several times in articles about Williamsburg and the city writ large.[11][12] The bookstore also made an appearance in the show Girls, directed by Lena Dunham.[13]