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Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
Café, Used Bookstore, and Event Space$$$$
SoHo, New York
"Free wifi, good coffee, great cause, wonderful volunteers."(13 Tips)
"used books and relax in the back café"(6 Tips)"Quiet, plenty of seats, and good drink options (coffee, wine, beer)"(55 Tips)
"Wonderful vibe, cheap books, quiet.. you can be here for hours"(10 Tips)
197 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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- café
- free Wifi
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MichaelJanuary 27Need to escape Soho's shopaholics? Order a coffee and take some time out in this spacious yet cozy bookstore, all for a good cause!
Patrick BaskinJanuary 15Cute spot to hangout, space to sit and talk with coffee & drinks or peruse the books for sale
Anna BrowneDecember 13, 2016A wonderful spot for book lovers. Very kind staff and overall a nice atmosphere.
Great palace to work. Tons of seating and free wifi. All it costs you is a cup of coffee.
HashtagNYUOctober 12, 2016The coffee is cheap and the upper level setting (if you can snag it) is cozy and quiet. Plus, post study time, treat yourself to some cool thrifty finds next door at the Housing Work Thrift Store.
- They have a few greeting cards and postcards near the cashier.
Helen WengJune 6, 2016reat for discovering new books to try, but it's harder if you're looking for a specific book as their selection isn't the biggest
Alexandros PlexidasMay 13, 2016Nice and cheap coffee for a good reason, free wifi, plenty of books to read and quiet atmosphere!
Untapped CitiesApril 19, 2016This wood-lined room at this place has floor-to-ceiling books, many for just a dollar. You can enjoy a beer or wine from its café while you devour your latest find in a bohemian, welcoming atmosphere. Read more
Time Out New YorkMarch 24, 2016Ask Roulette is coming to Housing Works this week so come on in and enjoy the hilarious panel of questions that will have you curious and entertained. Thurs, 3/24. Read more
Katharine HaldemanMarch 8, 2016Lots of great books from all different genres organized well. They also have lots of small tables you can sit and drink coffee from their cafe at and work or read
Halley HairFebruary 24, 2016They're a part of CUPS: https://cupsapp.com/ Use code 18m3t for $10 of free coffee!
TimelessnomadDecember 22, 2015If I'm in the neighborhood I always stop by to browse the cookbooks and design books. Good prices
Sonya RytovaDecember 17, 2015Very nice coffee! Like really cool!) Cute place to talk with a friend or read a good book (actually it's almost the same ;) )
AbNovember 25, 2015Great stop with solid collection and decent coffee in the back. Easy place to work, but don't expect power outlets
One of the greatest places on earth. Buy books, see some great events, help people.
Alexis BendjouiaOctober 12, 2015Awesome well-priced used bookstore with a cafe, and a selection of records.
Kaitlin SiemeringSeptember 23, 2015Great place to spend an afternoon! Awesome used book collection, pretty good coffee, places to sit, and all proceeds go to a worthy cause!
ZZubinJuly 24, 2015With real estate prices so high, most coffee shops don't even have space to sit. Here's a great, old school bookstore with a tiny cafe and ample seating. Great to meet up or do a little work.
Carmen NJuly 10, 2015One of the best used bookstores in NYC, and an all around comfortable, inviting space. The selection is usually on par with a "new" bookstore.Upvoted 4 weeks ago
John PaterakisJune 4, 2015Nice space for having a coffee, but the selection of books is limited, particularly if your interests don't tend towards the left.
Gillespie Guereca AdairJune 1, 2015Found a very cool vinyl record and good coffee, reasonably priced
- AJ JacobsMay 25, 2015Housing Works is one of my favorite bookstores. And sometimes my cousin Ophira Eisenberg hosts incredible Moth StorySLAMs there.
Mish and RobMay 16, 2015Check out the events calendar: they have some really fun and original free events almost every night.
Christine ArboledaMay 6, 2015Love the cafe, great place to relax and study or discover the great selection of donated books. Cozy like an old library feel that is inviting.
Jess NaldoApril 29, 2015Good spot to work with decent wifi but no outlets available for customer use, which is a bummer. Great place overall but make sure your devices are charged!
Scott GellmanMarch 25, 2015The space is great to get work done. But they don't seem to want you to: no outlets and you can only have a laptop/tablet at certain tables. Annoying.
Pretty cool used bookstore and cafe. Great for lunch, or just wandering around for a book.
Tatiana Mross NYC Real EstateFebruary 23, 2015Local nonprofit bookstore cafe. Employees are volunteers & avid booklovers. Cafe hosts lectures, book clubs & is a popular venue for weddings. And there's always a basket of free condoms at checkout.
John Michael CassettaFebruary 23, 2015Used books and a cafe. Good for studying or working or pretending to
gmarco .February 21, 2015Quirky nice little cafe within a secondhand bookstore. Perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Mike FriedmanDecember 26, 2014Order a Cortado and browse the shelves while you wait - nice little getaway in Soho.
Katerina AnnaNovember 29, 2014Coffee is not the best, but it's not bad either! Lovely environment to drink your coffee and maybe read a book..? :-)
Harry RaymondNovember 22, 2014Free wifi, cheap coffee, good sandwiches and chill vibes. An oasis off busy Houston st.
Colin M. FordNovember 2, 2014Smell of old books, the balcony, people writing books and plays, a very diverse selection, a bustling café, a good cause—New York, this is your bookstore.
Zii HammadAugust 27, 2014In SoHo, and cheap? Crazy. Check out the cheap used book carts. The bookstore can be busy, but it stays fairly calm. Staff are also very fun. Volunteer run!
Anna OhareAugust 19, 2014Delicious lattes. Be nice to the staff, they're awesome and also volunteers.- Didn't get into The Moth? Get dinner nearby, then go back at intermission ~8:45pm.
Kelsey LeeJune 22, 2014They have consistently good coffee, and are always hosting amazing events and speakers, such as David Sedaris on 6/3. Get here early for big events though, the line stretches down the block.
Order an iced latte and snag a balcony seat! Proceeds go to a great cause, too!- Great place to have a meeting. Quiet, plenty of seats, and good drink options (coffee, wine, beer)
Katherine M.April 28, 2014Someone at a bookstore in New Orleans recommended this to me. Super hip events and a spiral staircase. Looking for something specific is hit-or-miss because books are donated. Read more
Katie ChanpongFebruary 12, 2014Great spot for studying or working, but just FYI you can't charge your phone or laptop here. They turned off the outlets to cut down on the electric bill!
BrooklynJanuary 17, 2014No public power plugs. Check to see if they have readings - they move tables and you won't be able to read/study/work.
They have intelligentsia coffee for 1.50. Basically a steal
ConZergeOctober 20, 2013Coffee, books, and a good cause? Yes! 100% of their proceeds go to Housing Works: a healing community dedicated to helping those affected by or living with HIV/AIDS.
ShawnieSeptember 9, 2013If you're not going to purchase a book or overpriced coffee, at least stop in to use the free wi-fi :)
Eliane vdBAugust 12, 2013Great place to get some work done while enjoying good music, sipping on a coffee. Warning: no outlets available for your laptop.
686 Photos
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Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
126 Crosby St (btwn Prince & E Houston St)
New York, NY 10012
United States
New York, NY 10012
United States
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe is a nonprofit bookstore, cafe, and event space. All proceeds from every show you attend and everything you buy, down to a record and a PBR, go directly to our mission of fighting AIDS and homelessness.
Closed until 9:00 AM tomorrow (Show more)
- Mon–Fri
- 9:00 AM–9:00 PM
- Sat–Sun
- 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
(212) 334-3324
View menu on http://www.housingworks.org/bookstore/cafe-menu/
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express & MasterCard)
Wi-Fi
Free
Outdoor Seating
No
Music
Live Music
Dining Options
No Delivery
Food & Drink
Menus
Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks
Beer, Wine
See More
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"The turkey sandwich with thyme and side salad with cranberries is delicious! The green iced tea with pear is fantastic! The apple pie looks amazing, but haven't tried it yet."
Margot G - 8.2
"Say "hi" to the DJ on Thursday and Saturday night :-). Try the ginger yum yum! Everyone here is super chill. Cool spot to meet new people."
S A - 8.2
"Great little shop. I always find something cool. Prices aren't the cheapest but the money goes to a good cause. They weed through the junk that most thrift stores get which leaves you with nice items."
Timelessnomad
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