Astoria Bookshop
| Company type | Independent bookstore |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Books) |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Lexi Beach |
| Headquarters | Queens, New York , United States |
| Products | Books |
Astoria Bookshop is a locally owned bookstore situated in Queens. Established in 2013 by Lexi Beach, a woman and LGBTQ entrepreneur, the shop offers a diverse selection of books across multiple genres. It regularly organizes author events, manages a community book club, and occasionally conducts holiday-themed book donation drives. Initially set up on 31st Street in Astoria, the store relocated to a more spacious venue on 30th Street in 2023.
History
After several years working within the publishing sector, Beach recognized a shortage of bookstores in Astoria based on feedback from friends and colleagues. Motivated by this gap, she partnered with her wife, Connie Rourke, to launch Astoria Bookshop in 2013. In August 2023, the bookstore transitioned from its original location at 31-29 31st Street to a larger space nearby at 36-19 30th Street.
Over the years, Astoria Bookshop has hosted numerous events featuring notable authors such as Roxane Gay, Elizabeth Sanders, Judy Blume, Erik Didriksen, Dave Roman, Samantha Berger and Isabel Roxas, Stephen Savage, Ananda Lima, among others.
In the media
Members of the Astoria Bookshop team have been featured in various media outlets such as LitHub, BuzzFeed News, and Electric Literature. In 2019, Lexi Beach authored an op-ed for Electric Literature explaining her choice to exclude The Wizenards, a children's book series from Kobe Bryant's Granity Studios, from the store's inventory due to Bryant's involvement in a sexual assault case.
The bookstore has received recognition in multiple articles and curated lists highlighting notable bookstores, including those published by Thrillist. In August 2023, it was honored as bookshop of the month by And Other Stories. Additionally, Time Out New York ranked Astoria Bookshop second among the best bookstores in New York City, praising it for bringing a vital literary presence to the community and featuring it in several other recommended lists. The store also earned a mention in AFAR, which listed it among their favorite independent bookstores in the city. Furthermore, Tinybeans included it in their roundup of New York City's top independent bookstores catering to children. It has appeared on numerous LGBTQ bookstore lists featured by media such as NBC and O, The Oprah Magazine.