New Huntington Village bookshop takes page from the past

Mallory Braun is ready to turn the page on opening a new bookstore in downtown Huntington.

Braun and her staff will begin moving into the new shop Wednesday, with a goal of opening for the holidays — just blocks north from the town’s shuttered and beloved Book Revue, which closed in September 2021.

A former rare book manager at Book Revue, Braun said she hopes her new shop, The Next Chapter, at 204 New York Ave., will rekindle what made its predecessor a favorite of bibliophiles and casual readers alike for 44 years — a welcoming environment, a large selection of new and used books, and in-store author signings. The hard-to-miss sign still hangs above the shuttered store on New York Avenue.

Braun described the location for her new shop as perfect. It's five minutes from Book Revue's building — she timed the walk. In addition to books, Braun said, the store has plans to sell records, art works and even host live music.

"It was very important to the town,” Braun said of Book Revue. “I think bookstores are wonderful places to meet and disconnect from your phone. … it’s really important to be able to pick up a book and learn something you’re not expecting.”

It was Book Revue fans — more than 2,200 of them — who helped Braun by donating in excess of $257,000 to an online fundraiser aimed at bringing an independent bookstore back to the village. Braun learned of the location in June and ever since, she’s been preparing for the grand opening, hopefully by the end of the month or early December.

In preparation, Braun and her staff have spent the past several months collecting books and storing them at a warehouse in Huntington Station. On Wednesday and Thursday, volunteers and staff will bring the books to the new shop, which in the recent past was home to Harbor Beverage Merchants.

Braun said she still talks to former Book Revue owner Richard Klein daily about completing her vision. Part of that includes better parking than in the cramped village. The refurbished 5,000 square-foot store sits near Six Harbor Brewing and Heckscher Park and comes with its own parking lot.

“We knew we couldn’t go into a little space," Braun said. "We needed a big enough place for the experience that people wanted and Huntington wants and it took us months to find the right space."

The shop will include a large collection of used books amassed in recent months and sold through pop-up shops around Huntington and Northport. Braun said she intends to bring in authors on national bestseller lists as well as Long Island writers, both key to Book Revue's enduring popularity over the years. 

Huntington Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman Vita Scaturro said the community is eager for the bookstore to fill a need left behind after Book Revue closed.

“I think it’s a great addition to the village. …,” Scaturro said. “It brings business into the village and more people. There’s no place to do it now. You can go to the library, but it doesn’t become yours. You want to keep business in the town. She’s replacing a void that’s been gone for more than a year.”

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.