Freebird Books

Finally made it over to Freebird Books on Columbia Street, spurred by a wayward piece of the New York Times while bored on the subway the other day. I think it was this article from July 24, 2005, but that begs two questions: How can a page of the New York Times float around a subway car for almost two months, and where had it been before I picked it up? No matter, it got me over to Freebird, which I'd read about at themorningnews  but never explored for myself.   The store is small and easy to browse, with a variety of titles and genres, but what I liked best was the genuine sit-and-stay-awhile feel that one rarely experiences these days in a bookstore (bolstered by a selection of beer, wine,  tea, coffee). While I like BookCourt in Cobble Hill, Freebird feels more like the bookstore and cafe I used to socialize in during my college years, albeit much smaller. That small-town vibe is quintessential Columbia Street.

One cool upcoming event: Every first Wednesday, the store has Write a Letter night, where people are invited to come to the store and write a letter from 7 to 9 p.m. Next up is October 5.

About the photos: Cooper, one of the owner's sons, posed for me while I took a shot of the store. He's pretty cute, and was kind enough to let me get a close-up shot.

While I'm getting all educated and literary, I'll drop this link to a new NYC blog, New York Brain Terrain, an offshoot of the LA-based blog of the same name.