Guests entering indie bookstore, art gallery, and streetwear shop Village Works might notice they’re asked to do something they never have to do in another store: refrain from taking photos.
“95% of all NYC bookstores have closed in the last 25 years. Please protect bookstores, the writers and artists they represent,” the sign reads.
Employee Dana Costantino explains this as a protective policy against customers who might be inclined to take photos of books and order them on Amazon. But it’s as much about keeping the classic idea of a bookstore thriving.
“You might make a new friend, you might have a moment to engage with someone. Put your phone away for a little while, look someone in the eye, connect with the book,” Dana says. “Really engage with it and honor the space, because we want to do what we can to keep these spaces alive.”
Dana has worked in advertising and fashion for most of her adult life. But a few nights a week, she clocks out of her office job and spends the evening and early morning working in Village Works’ cozy environment. From 2021-2023, the collective had called 3rd Street its home. Due to steep rent increases it moved to its current location on St. Mark’s Place. Although the change in location wasn’t planned, Village Works’ new home has become a testament to its personality.
“This is such a street for creative energy and freedom,” Dana says. “Freedom to express yourself via your clothes, via who you’re dating, or who you’re wanting to be that day. This block has a lot of lore and history. It’s magical.”
The creative energy is overflowing at Village Works. In addition to stacks of books – ranging from famous authors to young zine creators – local artists display their work all over the walls. Some work until late at night in the basement gallery.
“We all are really about supporting the collective energy of keeping art alive, keeping culture alive, keeping a New York alive that is somewhat fading sometimes,” says Dana. The majority of books for sale at Village Works are based on New York culture and artists.
“In an increasingly tech-focused world, I honestly love being here to engage with the humans,” Dana adds, explaining Village Works still records their sales by hand. “We’re very much thinking a lot of times in an analog way here.”
Damian Bielak, another employee at Village Works and photographer, shows his Polaroid works and explains he likes to use real film. “We’re kind of this merry band of misfits in a way. But we all bring something different to the table, whether it’s writing, whether it’s fine arts, whether it’s having an interest in fashion,” Bielak says. “We all have unique perspectives on things and come from different backgrounds and have experienced different journeys. Our New York City stories are all different. So, it’s nice to bring that all together, celebrate that.” It’s 8:30 p.m., but patrons are still filing in. Some peer through stacks of books or racks of clothing made by local artists, while others prefer to swoon over Village Works’ bookstore cat, Alley.
Unlike many other stores and galleries – even in the City that Never Sleeps – Village Works often stays open until at least 1 am. “It’s meant to speak to the true New Yorker,” Dana explains.
“That nocturnal bat that’s out in the world at that time. As we shift into this digital world, this AI world, there’s still this desire for connection and a desire for people to have a tangible experience with art, with culture, with a book, with other human beings,” Dana says,
“That’s what Village Works is really about: creating a community.”
The Book Club Bar
Nestled nearby on East 3rd Street, Book Club Bar is a manifestation of wife-and-husband Erin Neary and Nat Esten’s dreams fulfilled. “It’s our everything,” says Nat, who manages the bar.
He spends his time honing their cocktails, wines, and beers, learning what customers want on the menu. Erin, a former marketing executive, is much happier managing the books, which she’s been doing since Book Club Bar’s opening in 2019.
“She’s always learning about the different trends,” Nat says. “Every month, new books are coming out, so she’s deepening our relationship with the publishers and she’s also reading as much as she humanly can while also running the space. It’s our whole life. We felt like we wanted to create a community space that we saw a need for in the neighborhood,” Nat says of Book Club Bar’s inspiration. “We sort of combined my dream of owning a bar and her dream of owning a bookstore.
It was a rocky first few years with COVID and everything, but the neighborhood was great to us and we made it through.”
At 3 pm on a recent Wednesday, patrons sit at stools, basking in the sunlight and chatting with the bartender. In the back, surrounded by walls of books, others read in comfy armchairs. During the day, this is a common scene at Book Club Bar – but some nights, they stay up late hosting events like “lectures on tap,” singles events, and adult spelling bees. “Some of them are somber and serious affairs, and some of them are rowdy and fun and goofy. I like that we can sort of do both here,” Nat says. “We’re the kind of place where you can come and read a book, but sometimes we’re the kind of place where people are doing shots at the bar.” The latest adult spelling bee – hosted the evening of Thursday, February 27 – fell into the rowdy, fun, and goofy category. Over thirty people showed up, and from 8-9:30 pm people talked, drank, laughed, and tried to spell words from “savvy” to “thalassocracy.”
“The number one goal of this place was always to be a community space – a place to gather – for locals and tourists and people of all ages,” Nat says. “Having different types of literary events always seemed like a no-brainer.” The community spirit at the spelling bee was palpable.
Over the course of just 90 minutes, people who had started as strangers ended cheering and congratulating their neighbors after spelling increasingly difficult words – whether correctly or incorrectly. Like Village Works, Book Club Bar stays open late: until midnight Sunday-Wednesday, and 1 am Thursday-Saturday. “We did always want it to be a place where you could buy a book really late,” Nat says.
“It’s not like we shut down the book sales. People do come in at 12:30 and buy books.” Nat and Erin are working on opening up a second location in Bushwick. “It’s been a long time, a lot of work, but we’re really, really, really thrilled with that location,” Nat says. “I can’t wait.” For Book Club Bar’s upcoming events, visit bookclubbar.com/events.
(photos by Laryn Kuchta)
