We are stronger than a pandemic: how New Yorkers saved a legendary store from bankruptcy

Nancy Bass Wyden represents the third generation of owners of the legendary Strand Bookstore. 93 years ago, her grandfather laid the foundation for what will today be called a national treasure. Strand has been listed in all travel guides as one of the most unusual and one of the largest bookstores in the world. This is stated in the video "Voices of America".

To understand what the Strand is, you just need to imagine the paradise of the book reader. You can find almost everything in it. His tomes, displayed in a row, would be 37 kilometers - new, old, in all languages ​​of the world, on any topic, for $ 1 on a street cart or thousands in a gold safe.

“The most expensive book in the store right now is $ 45. This is Ullis by James Joyce. A rare copy, signed by the author and illustrator of the book, Henri Matisse, ”says the manager of the rare books department Vasilis Terpsopoulos.

Nancy's father and grandfather always told her: "Times are changing and we must too." So, changing, the store survived the Great Depression, World Wars 2, September 11, but the COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be the first insurmountable obstacle.

For 4 months the store was closed, like everyone else in the city. Then the quarantine was weakened, the store opened, but it turned out that people still do not risk leaving their homes. Students did not return to the city, tourists did not come, in the ninth month of the pandemic, the Strand's financial situation approached disaster.

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“Of course, I was in great pain, loneliness came over me and I did not know what to do. I hadn't slept that night and decided to publish a cry for help to our customers and friends, ”says the owner of the store.

"We need your help. We hoped that we would never have to write this text, but today Strand is at a turning point in its history. All our resources have been exhausted, ”the post said.

“I didn’t expect to be literally blown away by the instant flow of love and I’m so grateful for that,” says Nancy.

After 3 hours, after the publication of a cry for help, the store's website crashed. 25 thousand online orders per day, despite the fact that in the good old days, the store received about 300.

“One lady from the Bronx ordered 197 books, people ordered $ 500 gift cards, offered me money, gave advice,” says Bass Wyden.

In the packaging department, hands ceased to be enough, Nancy had to get into line herself. Store employees voluntarily canceled their weekends to help cope with an avalanche of online orders. Many are accompanied by notes with words of love and support, they continue to come from all over the world. Strand found itself in a wonderful and extreme situation at the same time.

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“It's like a combination of two reactions - wow and oops. We are trying urgently and with all our might to figure out how we can handle all of this now, ”says Dan Roth, Internet Order Manager.

It was not only the online department that overwhelmed with orders, queues around the block began to line up at the store itself. This is the first time in the pandemic that New Yorkers came to the store in person to support it.

“I've been coming here for years. It was always the first place I went when looking for something. I came because I wanted to help, ”says customer David Levine.

“It was hard for them and it's sad. Therefore, everyone buys a book here for Christmas, literally everyone I know. This is my second time here this week, ”says Sarah Borie.

Strand's business is skyrocketing, and Nancy says the store is saved. In order not to die, the famous Parisian bookstore Shakespeare and Company has already followed her example.

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“I understand now that we are all in a bad situation and we should not be afraid to ask for help. I get very upset when I see boarded up doors everywhere. If you do not have time to help your favorite pharmacy, dry cleaning, restaurant, the soul of the city will go away, - says Nancy. “As for Strand, I think that my grandfather and dad are looking at this turn of events and just cannot believe that the love of people that we have been saving together all these 93 years, one day should have saved us.”