Queens Proud | Astoria Bookshop

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Broadway Stages. In celebration of our 40th trip around the sun, we are shining the spotlight on the heart of our community – the local businesses that provide the essential or simply enjoyable goods and services that allow us to thrive and delight in this great city we call home. We continue our series in the borough where it all began, Queens, and feature the local shops that line our streets, providing our neighbors, family, and friends a livelihood. Join us on our journey and get to know the people and businesses that make our community home. Today, we turn the page to the Astoria Bookshop on 30th Street!

Broadway Stages is happy to give a shout-out to the independent Astoria Bookshop located at 36-19 30th Street in Astoria, Queens. Simon & Schuster alum Lexi Beach and wife Connie Rourke opened the Astoria Bookshop in 2013. As a proudly woman-owned bookshop, in addition to a broad array of options, they have a feminist book selection in nearly every genre throughout the shop, as well as a great lineup of female authors who visit for book discussions, and a monthly feminist book club.

But it’s so much more! “The inventory is a mix of my personal favorites - and favorites of my slowly growing staff-books that are highly recommended by friends… Some of my steadiest selling titles are books that customers recommended,” said Beach.

Nearly every genre is represented in this little bookshop, from poetry to political science. Young readers will enjoy the children’s section in the back. The bookshop features the latest best sellers, classics of every genre, and a Spanish section (staff recommendations are handwritten on oak tags). And the Astoria Bookshop is dedicated to supporting Queens-based writers. It has a special “Queens and NYC” section. So, you’ll be able to read some of the best local literature when you visit.

The Astoria Bookshop hosts many other great events, including children’s story time, adult and teen book clubs, book parties, and author talks. Keep an eye on their calendar for upcoming events. And while you are there, browse the website! From staff picks and audiobooks to greeting cards and more, the Astoria Bookshop is a definite online destination. 

If you visited them in the past, take note they recently moved from their original space on 31st Street to a gorgeous new space right around the corner from the 36th Avenue N/W train). It’s about 40% bigger, and it has a back patio!

They are open from 11 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday. If you have a question, drop them a line at info@astoriabookshop.com  or call them at (718) 278-2665. And, of course, follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for events and deals! Most of all, we encourage you to support this local bookseller that provides adventures and knowledge abounding throughout the pages of books. The Astoria Bookshop also support the local economy and the livelihood of our neighbors. So, why not take the afternoon off and treat yourself to a stroll along the aisles of stories waiting to be told - at the Astoria Bookstore. And when you get there, be sure to tell them that Broadway Stages sent you.  Happy reading!