Red Hook Books opened last month at 123 Coffey St. in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Star-Revue reported that co-owners Tanya Chernyak, a former Scholastic book designer, and her husband, Patrick Preziosi, a small press and consignment manager at McNally Jackson, "live in the neighborhood and have always dreamt of opening a bookshop, so when the right space on Coffey Street became available, they jumped on the opportunity."
In addition to offering a mix of new and used books, the owners are hoping the shop will be a "third space" for the community to gather, create art, and discuss books. Their aim is to make the space a neighborhood "living room," available to the community for any clubs and events.
Preziosi, who curates the book selection, prioritizes working with local publishers, including Brooklyn's Archipelago Books. "As for book selection, a lot of it is sourced from my own collection, as well as that of similarly minded friends," he said, "but I'm also inspired by people's curiosity and openness."
Chernyak is focusing on programming for the shop, including Coptic book-binding classes (the earliest style of bookbinding from Egypt) and book clubs.
The store will also host a Crafty Happy Hour with Good Crafternoon, a creative educational organization run by Red Hook resident Jessie Wayburn. Chernyak is also planning to launch a Plein Air Club this fall where participants will paint around the neighborhood.