My friend Megan and I were enjoying the festivities of Uptown Shop Hop when I discovered Black Dog Used Books and Records, 959 Fulton St E, for the first time. We stepped inside, and I was met with a warm, familiar feeling. It was a mixed-media paradise. Rows of books and graphic novels, shelves of DVDs, cassettes, and VHS tapes – you name it! I snagged a record tote from A Clockwork Orange and filled it with an assortment of vinyl as a Christmas gift for my husband, but with the hustle and bustle, we didn’t have time to stick around.
I went back in January and got the opportunity to speak with Devon Monique, a staff member of the eclectic shop. I was pleased to learn that beyond being a seller (and buyer) of a wide variety of media, the owner, Bill Moore, wants the store to function as a “third space,” welcoming the community to read, listen to music or just hang out without the expectation to buy. They put on poetry open mic nights, facilitate writing groups, and host book discussions.
Black Dog might buy your old cassettes or that novel you didn’t like enough to finish, but they won’t take just anything. Besides avoiding the obvious – warped records or books with broken spines – don’t bring in presidential biographies, history books, or magazines; they’re not interested in those. If you’re not sure, just ask!
As for the spoils of my second visit, I grabbed Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ “One Hundred Years of Solitude” with a canvas tote to match.
