SOHO, MANHATTAN
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
SoHo's living room — a donated library, a mezzanine balcony, and a café where every dollar does good.
On cobblestoned Crosby Street, a former factory space holds what might be the city's best-loved secondhand bookstore: two levels of donated books under a high ceiling, wrapped by a mezzanine balcony with spiral staircases at either end, a small café at the back pouring coffee and beer. Every book on the shelves was given away by a New Yorker, every person behind the counter is mostly a volunteer, and every dollar goes to Housing Works' services for homeless New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.
The economics make it a bargain hunter's room as much as a beautiful one — used fiction and art books at thrift prices, with the kind of odd, personal inventory that only donations produce. The space doubles as a venue: readings, trivia nights, and weddings have all happened under the balconies, and on an ordinary afternoon the tables fill with people working, reading, and nursing a coffee for an hour in what amounts to SoHo's living room.
Few places in the neighborhood ask less of you or give more back. Come for a $6 novel, stay because the room itself is reason enough.
Editor’s tip
The dollar-and-change clearance carts near the entrance are restocked from fresh donations constantly — check them on the way in and again on the way out.
Eat & drink nearby
While you’re nearby
Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.