New Independent Comes to NYC

McNally Robinson Booksellers, a 7,000-square-foot bookstore with a cafe, will officially open tomorrow on Prince Street in New York City. The store's owner is Sarah McNally, whose family owns four McNally Robinsons in Canada, two in Winnipeg, one in Saskatoon, and one in Calgary. The Manhattan store is not part of the Canadian McNally Robinson stores, but McNally's family has invested in her venture and owns 20 percent of the business.

McNally, originally from Winnipeg, but a New Yorker for the past six years, looks to fill a need for an independent bookstore in the Nolita (north of Little Italy) neighborhood of downtown Manhattan.

The opening of an independent bookstore is big news, even in New York, and over the last week, McNally Robinson has been the subject of a New York Times article and McNally has appeared on WNYC, New York City's public radio station. Of the media attention, McNally said, "It's lovely. People still like books, huh?"

To celebrate the store's opening, in the evening on Thursday, December 2, McNally Robinson is throwing a party with champagne, live Dixieland jazz, and food. "It should be a festive atmosphere," said McNally. "Quite jolly."

Opening the store on time has proven somewhat challenging for McNally who jokingly described working with contractors as "worse than the worst love affair, ever. They lie and lie and lie." A day before opening, a harried McNally was handling some last minute details including installing plate glass windows and working with plumbers. She was grateful for the help of her father, who has been working 14-hour days building bookshelves and counters.

McNally told BTW that she took issue with the frequent portrayal of opening an independent bookstore as a death-defying act. "Independent bookstores are thriving all over the country," she said. "And I think opening one is a good idea or I wouldn't do it." She explained that it's important to her to create a bookstore that holds readings and gatherings that fill a "geographic and events gap" and are "by and for the arts community," adding, "I want to bring local writers and publishers to the people." --Karen Schechner