Taylor & Co. Books, the first bookstore set to open in Ditmas Park since Mostly Books closed in 1999, is working hard to curate a diverse and welcoming atmosphere, reports The Bklyner. The new bookstore will be taking over the previous location of the Brooklyn Artery, which is set to move across Cortelyou Road to a larger space.
“I come out of Black and Caribbean literature and Spanish literature. And poetry. That’s what I know best,” Andrew Colarusso, owner of Taylor & Co, said. “I think I can offer a strong poetry section, which would be more interesting and varied than the generic Barnes and Nobles offering of the dead poets. But there will be contemporary bestsellers, too.”
The tiny 300-square feet store, inspired by St. Mark’s Bookshop in the East Village, will carry a wide-ranging selection of books. The initial offering will be broad before Colarusso gets a sense of what type of books local community members gravitate towards.
“I hope to offer something that is representative of the neighborhood at large so that anyone, whether you’re coming from the mosque on Coney Island Avenue, or studying ancient Hebrew, whether you’re looking for a comic or Japanese manga — I want to see it reflected in the bookstore, I want it to be as diverse as this neighborhood is.”
The store will carry books like "Albums" by Jamel Shabazz, "Enter Ghost" by Isabella Hammad and "Odes to Lithium" by Shira Erlichman — an author Colarusso met while waiting for a friend at nearby Café Madeline.
Colarusso is also planning to host events and readings, sell books online and possibly even deliver in the neighborhood.
Taylor & Co. plans to open for business on March 4, at 1021 Cortelyou Rd.
