Huntington's Book Revue giving away free books

Book Revue, a Huntington mainstay since 1977, officially closed shop on Thursday, but it won’t be the store’s final chapter.

Starting Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the book shop will reopen to give away thousands of used books of all genres for free, posted owner Richard Klein Wednesday night on Book Revue’s Facebook page. "We have tried to contact charities and organizations to come and take books, but without success, so if any of you good people know of any organizations that might be able to use free books, please feel free to contact them," he wrote.

On Thursday, Klein told Newsday that the giveaway will continue for as long as it takes for all of the books to go. "It could take a week, it could take a day, but there’s been a great deal of interest," he said. Books will be on display both inside and in front of the store at 313 New York Ave.

Café Revue, the coffee shop inside the bookstore that served gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups and smoothies as well as tea and coffee, will remain open through Tuesday.

Last month, it was announced that Book Revue was being evicted by its landlord, news that came as a shock to its loyal customers. Emerson Dobbs III, principal with 263-265 Main Corner LLC, which owns the building, said the company had to take Book Revue to Third District Court in Huntington Station this spring over nonpayment of more than $400,000 in rent as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

For Klein, who was one of the founders of Book Revue, the store’s demise is especially crushing. "It’s sad, very sad. I guess everything ends," he said. "We’ve heard so many wonderful things from customers thanking us and reminiscing. We seem to have been able to make a lot of people happy for a lot of years."