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Mobile Book Cart Opens on Lower East Side Specializing in Female Authors, Paperbacks

What to Know

  • Keep an eye out for a new mobile book store in the Lower East Side.
  • In it you’ll find used paperbacks, female authors and the owner’s daughter, Margot.
  • Brittany Bond built her collection by shopping at local shops. She is drawn to used books that have character and were well-loved.

Keep an eye out for a new mobile book store in the Lower East Side. In it you’ll find used paperbacks, female authors and the owner’s daughter, Margot.

Brittany Bond, 30, opened Common Books Book Cart on Jan. 19. With help from Margot, Bond curates and sells books that she finds inspiring. Lately, they’ve been out on weekends between Market Street and Catherine along the East River, but as the weather gets warmer, they’re hoping to venture into more parts of the city.

Common Books began as an Instagram account last year. On this account, Bond posts photos of books for sale and writes accompanying captions about why they’re worth a read. She has sold books to people around the world via Instagram, but Bond eventually decided that she wanted a physical space for her shop.

Bond built her collection by shopping at local shops. She is drawn to used books that have character and were well-loved. “I like marginalia in them, and inscriptions, and just a good floppiness,” Bond said.

She specifically looks for pocket-sized paperbacks so her customers can read on the go — whether it’s on the subway or at the laundromat.

There isn’t a set outing schedule for Common Books, so you’ll have to check its Instagram to find out when the next outing is — or you may just stumble upon it while out for a walk.

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