Something’s happened to me recently. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I’d tend to think not.

If you’re a fan of the site at all, you’re aware that we’re (I can say we’re now, I’m in the “About Us” page!) fans (in a not-so-subtle-way) of independent booksellers. With that said, I’ll admit, you can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been to the local vintage record store or any of the independent booksellers either in my town or in New York City. And by one hand I mean, of course, no hands. However, recently after an incredible Cuban meal (a detail that has no bearing on the story, but is worth mentioning regardless, it was that good) a friend and I decided to head to that record store. We spent about 35 minutes in there and that was only because we each had to go to work. 25 dollars later, I had four CDs to listen to. It was exciting. I mention this because it was this experience that led me to head to a place I’d been meaning to get to for a while: The Strand.

I’d read articles about this place, heard stories about the bookish folk they employed. It was, at once, inviting and frightening.

When I arrived, I understood exactly why. Walking into The Strand felt like what I’d imagine it would feel like if Amazon.com’s book department had a store in downtown Manhattan.  Overwhelming wouldn’t even begin to describe the place: at every turn was a table almost overflowing with books, book reviews, book suggestions and anything else book related you can think of. After picking up a copy of Chuck Klosterman’s “The Invisible Man” from the “Cheaper than Amazon.com” table and a copy of “The Catcher in the Rye” from the “Everything from JD Salinger to David Foster Wallace” table*, I headed towards the fiction section in the back of the store.

My head almost exploded.

There were books on shelves that had to be at least 14 feet high, crammed into a space you’d have to imagine constituted nothing but a hassle and a fire hazard. And yet, I couldn’t tear myself away. I looked for books I already owned, books I didn’t plan on buying, books I actually came to the store to buy. I looked for authors I knew, authors I wanted to explore more.

In looking for Joshua Ferris, I came across Bret Easton Ellis. Which then reminded me of his “Less Than Zero”, a movie my brother-in-law had told me I needed to watch. So, I decided to see if I could find the book. (These sort of happy accidents are more the norm than you might imagine in a place like this).

Though that book wasn’t there, I came across “Rules of Attraction”, which seemed to start mid-sentence and on page 13 in the copy I was leafing through. I’m no literary whiz (or, Strand employee—there’s one guy who only goes by “The Oracle”. Not kidding), but something about that opening to a novel struck me as odd. So, I decided I’d flag down one of these all-knowing, bookworm employees.

Here’s how stupid and singular my focus can be sometimes: while reading this article about The Strand, all I noticed was the headline “Cutest Employees”. I somehow missed the lines describing the employees as “grumpy, less-than-helpful” and “curmudgeonly”.

The guy I asked for help didn’t disappoint. After I asked if he had a minute (he was buzzing around the store the whole time I was there), he paused and grunted something to acknowledge my existence. I explained my issue and begrudgingly he took my copy, found another print almost immediately, noted the strange opening in both copies, and handed mine back saying it was most likely on purpose.

The whole thing took, maybe, 90 seconds and I felt like I had just been served by Jimmy Fallon’s Nick Burns, your company’s computer guy.

And despite all of these things, despite the arrogantly nicknamed or barely-helpful employees, the stacks and stacks of books, the customers who looked like they’d read more in the last hour than I’d read in the last four years… I came away loving the place. I can’t wait to go back and I’m not certain why.

I know it’s not necessarily the prices. I have access to Amazon.com, they sell books for just as or cheaper than the prices at The Strand.

Maybe I want to try to develop some sort of relationship with an employee. I ask for book tips and suggestions, he or she is off the mark at first but ultimately we hit a stride together. Every book is fighting for a place in my top 10 and I can’t thank this person enough for opening my eyes to whole new worlds of literature.

Maybe the exploration is more fun than the discovery. Maybe I just want to spend another 45 minutes milling around and climbing ladders and listening in on conversations and letting my imagination take me from shelf to shelf.

Or, maybe I just want to find one of those cute employees to hit on.

One way or another, I can’t say enough about The Strand. Even if you don’t plan on buying on anything, I would recommend going. If you’re a reader or a book-hound of any kind, make it a must visit.

You may be overwhelmed, but you won’t be disappointed.

*Obviously, that’s not the real name of that table.