Every Thing Goes Book Café and Neighborhood Stage on Staten Island

October is National Arts and Humanities Month. Join Broadway Stages in celebrating a local business that specializes in raising the quality of life for those on Staten Island and the NYC metro area, by featuring literature and the performing arts! Everything Goes Thrift and Vintage has books, music, films, and performances. There is something for everyone!

At 208 Bay St. on Staten Island lies a hidden gem, Every Thing Goes Book Café and Neighborhood Stage (ETG). As the name says, it is a bookstore, a café, and a performance space. As one customer said, “They have every type of book by day and amazing local performances by night. Love this place.”

ETG was opened in 2005 by Steve Jones and Katie McCarthy with the vision of a local gathering spot where neighbors could come together to relax. They foresaw a place where people could meet, share their talents, and inform themselves about happenings in the local community and the wider world. ETG has become that and more.

The Café specializes in selling delicious organic and fair-trade coffee and teas. But it would be incomplete without something to nosh on. They have bagels, soups, snacks, and even vegan-friendly options in a comfortable, relaxed setting.

The cuisine is notable, but the customer service and atmosphere get just as much respect. John K. of Staten Island said, “The thing I remember most about my experience with Everything Goes Café is the people that work there. The ambiance of the place was very relaxing, and the service by the employees was highly above average in my opinion, and I left there with a great feeling.”

The bookstore is one of the largest used bookstores on Staten Island. It offers an unusually diverse collection of good quality, reasonably priced second-hand books and a smaller selection of vintage, collectible, and some new books, mostly by local authors. As an extra bonus for collectors, they also carry vinyl records and CDs.

Beyond books and recordings, ETG fosters the arts in a live capacity. On Friday and Saturday nights, they host events on their performance stage. Since 2005, the events have included concerts, poetry readings, open mics, book release (author) events, drum circles, seed swaps, educational talks, film screenings, pop-up craft markets, and more! Most of the events are free, but sometimes there is a small admission fee.

Just around the corner at 17 Brook St is the sister store, Every Thing Goes Thrift and Vintage. This store features a large selection of affordable used furniture, clothing, and collectibles. Both stores are just a 10-minute walk from the free Staten Island Ferry.

You can contact ETG Book Café and Neighborhood Stage by email at etg.bookcafe@yahoo.com or by calling 718-447-8256. But to stay informed about the upcoming performances and general happenings, you can also follow them on Facebook.

Broadway Stages loves being a part of the Staten Island community, and we promoting hidden gems like ETG. If you are looking for a friendly place and a friendly face, you can do no better than stopping in at Every Thing Goes Book Café and Neighborhood Stage. And when you do, tell them Broadway Stages sent you!