While most large bookstores in New York City have Spanish-language sections, independent stores in NYC stand out for something else: they build community. In addition to selling books in Spanish, these shops host readings, preserve cultural identity, and create connections across generations.
Here’s a list of the local Spanish bookstores that you can’t miss.
Manhattan: Word Up Community Bookshop / Librería Comunitaria
This is a multilingual, collectively run bookstore and arts space dedicated to making literature and learning accessible to everyone. Operated by the nonprofit Seven Stories Institute, Word Up’s mission is to bring books and knowledge to communities that often face barriers of language, geography, or income.
Location: 2113 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10032
Hours: Tuesday to Wednesday from 12 – 8 p.m., Thursday to Saturday from 12 – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 – 4 p.m.
Contact: info@wordupbooks.com (347) 688-4456
Queens: Librería Barco de Papel
Open since 2017, Librería Barco de Papel is a center in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst for Latin American art and poetry that often hosts readings and events. The bookstore’s mission is to nurture a love of literature in Queens’ Latino community and to inspire both emerging and established artists to find their voices.
Location: 40-03 80th St. Elmhurst, NY 11373
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Contact: comunitaria@libreriabarcodepapelny.com (718) 565-8283
Brooklyn: Mil Mundos
Located in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Mil Mundos Books is an English–Spanish bookstore and community space that centers Black, Latinx, and Indigenous voices. The shop carries a curated collection of books with a focus on social justice, decolonization and community empowerment.
Mil Mundos also hosts readings, mutual aid initiatives and art events to promote literacy and solidarity among NYC’s multilingual communities.
Address: 323 Linden St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Hours: Open Monday through Thursday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Contact: (347) 425-7076
Brooklyn: ¡CHAU, LUNA! Books
If you’re looking for children’s Spanish books, this is a hidden gem. Founded by an Argentine journalist and mom, the shop is filled with board books, comic books, chapter books and more for young bilingual readers. The store sells to schools, libraries, and families.
Location: 117 9th St., Suite 240, Brooklyn
Hours: Open by appointment
Contact info: info@chauluna.com
