Community Bookstore (Park Slope)

Community Bookstore

Company type	Independent bookstore
Industry	Retail
Founded	1971
Founder	Susan Scioli, John Scioli
Headquarters	Brooklyn , United States
Products	Books

Not to be confused with Community Bookstore (Cobble Hill).

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Exterior view of the Community Bookstore in Park Slope

Community Bookstore is an independent bookstore situated in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, operating since 1971.

The bookstore was established by Susan Scioli and her then-husband John Scioli in 1971, at a time when Park Slope was emerging as a favored neighborhood for younger residents but lacked a defined commercial hub. Starting with a modest-sized shop, the Sciolis gradually expanded their business. In 1974, they launched a second branch on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights. Following their separation in 1980, ownership of the stores was divided; Susan retained the Park Slope location while John took control of the Brooklyn Heights store, later relocating it to Cobble Hill during the 1980s. John eventually retired and closed his store in 2016, whereas the Park Slope store remains operational as of 2023.

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Tiny, the bookstore’s resident cat

When Susan Scioli became aware of a new Barnes & Noble opening nearby in 1997, she responded swiftly to remain competitive against the large chain. As reported by the New York Times, she regarded this challenge as a battle to survive. To adapt, she removed interior walls to enlarge the space, increased the variety of books offered, introduced a café area, created an outdoor reading garden, and implemented a customer loyalty program.

Scioli managed the bookstore until 2001 before selling it to Catherine Bohne, who had served as store manager. Later, in 2010, Bohne transferred ownership to Stephanie Valdez and Ezra Goldstein.

In 2013, Community Bookstore expanded by opening a second outlet named Terrace Books located in Windsor Terrace.

The bookstore is known for its focus on promoting local writers and regularly organizes literary gatherings including author readings and panel discussions. For instance, actor John Turturro participated in a panel about Elena Ferrante in 2016.

According to Bklyner, Community Bookstore is distinguished by its unique ambiance partly due to several animals that have resided there over time. These include Tiny the Usurper—a cat who has become an unofficial mascot—as well as a bearded dragon, turtles, and a rabbit.