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(Music by The Album Leaf)
I first heard about the secret bookshop, Brazenhead Books, from my friend Rachel Rosenfelt, founder of the literary website The New Inquiry. Rachel described Brazenhead as a mecca for book lovers and as one of those rare New York City gems, an extremely fascinating, yet unknown, spot.
Rachel invited me to a salon being held at the space, and although I’m not a literary type in the traditional sense (I read a ton — just mostly nonfiction), I jumped on the opportunity to visit.
I arrived at the building a little nervous, like I was about to engage in an illegal act. After a short wait I was buzzed upstairs. From the minute I walked in I was in love with the space and knew I wanted to photograph it.
Rachel introduced me to Michael, the owner of Brazenhead and a lifelong bookseller. There was something about Michael’s extremely unpretentious approach to books and his engaging personality that really impressed me. Over a few drinks Michael and I had a conversation about his life as a bookseller and the current state of secondhand shops. I seem to be attracted to people who are extremely dedicated, borderline obsessed, with their passions (probably because I frequently find myself in this realm), and Michael was no exception.
A few weeks later I asked Michael if I could make a short film about his bookstore and to my surprise he said yes. I know for a fact that Michael has turned down multiple interview requests in the past so I was extremely excited by his answer.
104 comments
Sign in to add your ownMegansMenagerie says:
Great post!!!
1 year ago
TwinkleStarCrafts says:
Fabulous! Reminds me of my favorite used book stop...The Book Barn in Niantic, CT.
1 year ago
BirdaloooBeads says:
An inspiration indeed!!!
1 year ago
LivingVintage says:
Wonderful! I remember the old Leary's Bookstore in Philadelphia.
1 year ago
Earleyimages says:
Great post here....
1 year ago
BlueRoseRetro says:
Borderline obsessed is a great way to be. I can almost feel the energy of all the lives that delved into those old books. Well done!
1 year ago
VintageScraps says:
Hands down, my favorite places in the world! You go Michael!
1 year ago
ClothandPatina says:
Very endearing...both the shop & Michael. Thank you for sharing.
1 year ago
MootiDesigns says:
Great article. Thanks
1 year ago
hellflower says:
Wonderful story, thank you. Some 15 years later I am still heartbroken that my favorite used book store in an old victorian house, run by a husband and wife who probably had been hippies in the younger years, shut down. Bought out for a tiny strip of stores. These special places seem to be fast disappearing. The place served as my haven and showed a scared 18 year old kid she wasn't crazy by serving up Kerouac and Buddhism and so many other things. I can still close my eyes and navigate the place...
1 year ago
VintageEye says:
A life lived for the love of books....it's wonderful!
1 year ago
funktionslust says:
I love the smell of books, libraries and bookstores...I bet his store smells incredible, especially mingled with the smell of his pipe : )
1 year ago
MarthyMay says:
How beautiful! Loved it!
1 year ago
RareDesign says:
Awesome, LOVE secondhand book stores!!!
1 year ago
anotherghostquilts says:
Nice story.
1 year ago
BingoBox says:
Congratulations Michael. Cheers - to a life well lived.
1 year ago
AlannaRK says:
A secret book shop. My inner bibliophile just took a big sigh of joy. I need to find this place.
1 year ago
NecessiTees says:
I hope places like this never go away!
1 year ago
spicedish says:
What a FANTASTIC film!! I'm with funktionslust, I adore the smell of old books. What a find.
1 year ago
Challand says:
It looks like a great place to visit off the beaten path!
1 year ago
pillowfactory says:
my husband will love this
1 year ago
paramountvintage says:
books, books, books. i love books. my house is full of books and this video makes me think i need more :)
1 year ago
Natik says:
Its really amazing....I adore reading and this video really made me excited
1 year ago
MadisonStreetBeauty says:
Wow!
1 year ago
TheScarfTree says:
I love second hand book stores (and books in general)! Hours can go by without even knowing! They each have their own special aura in them! If only each book could talk and tell us their story! We have a great second hand book store on 6th Street in New Westminster (Vancouver, Canada)! Thanks for sharing!
1 year ago
pinkbijou says:
Great post, i love books too!
1 year ago
SELVIDGEByRachidaS says:
Whoa, I love this :)
1 year ago
SkippyG says:
Does anyone know where this shop is? Or a phone number? I am going to NY soon and Would love to see it!!! Thank you for helping me!
1 year ago
WhisperingOak says:
Great article. Love bookstores where the owners help the shoppers and discuss the books.
1 year ago
ScarletLark says:
What a lovely portrait of a fascinating person and a unique place. Thank you for sharing this.
1 year ago
inbook says:
I want to take a trip to NY just to go here and talk about books.
1 year ago
stockannette says:
This short film brought tears of joy to my eyes! There is hope for us yet.
1 year ago
katrinaalana says:
Love reading. It would be great to visit this place someday.
1 year ago
artpapers says:
I can smell the coziness from here..I luv it! thanks for sharing and I love to see this place one day..
1 year ago
ShoponSherman says:
I could browse second hand book stores for HOURS. I wish I lived near NYC. Nice video!
1 year ago
starmekcreations says:
I love shopping for books and reading through them.
1 year ago
GardenApothecary says:
Oh my gosh, this looks fantastic! Thank god for people who run bookshops! xoxox
1 year ago
mamif says:
books are a good obsession!
1 year ago
SoliDeoGloriaSDG says:
What a lovely little film on a lovely subject ... i adore books - especially old, used books. There is nothing nicer than to curl up in a quiet corner and loose myself in the pages of a good book - that is absolute bliss! So happy for Michael - to do what you love! Continue from strength to strength!
1 year ago
antiquelace23 says:
Wonderful! :)
1 year ago
Parachute425 says:
Ooooo - and is there a secret, sliding, hidden panel in the wall to get in? coz that would be cool. Andrew - nice video. Michael - best of luck to you. Thanks for the peek.
1 year ago
purrkatya says:
I love this! There is something so magical about a second-hand bookstore. I could wander for days. And the secret stories behind all of them - the lives that they have passed through.
1 year ago
LittleWrenPottery says:
Fascinating video, I love how much of an intimate portrait it is not just of the place but the person too. Theres something in the character of people who run second hand bookshops, its a great form of recycling thats so under used.
1 year ago
catiques says:
Superb! Wonderful video
1 year ago
itselemental says:
As a lover of books and words (and secret spots), here is one word- "Kudos."
1 year ago
Squarekitty says:
Awesome! Here in New Zealand is a fantastic 2nd hand book shop called 'Hard2Find Books'. I LOVE it there and know the manager (plug away haha!). Seriously, it's a great space, all higgildy-piddildy and quirky; narrow staircases and fireplaces, nooks and crannies - have spent many hours in there happily browsing away. Much more intimate than a new bookshop (but I do like those too!). Ahhh for the love of books! Would love to own a place like this one day soon *daydream time... :)
1 year ago
TheQueenoftheNorth says:
I love this series of video posts. Thanks for sharing!
1 year ago
myvintagecrush says:
Awesome, live life on your own terms! Rewarding indeed ;)
1 year ago
AndrewDavidWatson says:
Thanks for checking out the short!
1 year ago
smellyrhino says:
Wow. I am actually emotional after watching that video. There is nothing like a good used bookstore. I am so thrilled to see Michael's lifelong passion is still going strong, but even more moved that it is about the love of literature and not the dollar. He will have a new patron in us! Thanks for this article!
1 year ago
smellyrhino says:
um, so...no Etsy shop? I would like to click to buy now...
1 year ago
iluxo says:
I love the wall to wall bookshelves. Thanks for giving us a peek into this exclusive space.
1 year ago
accentonvintage says:
Give me a bookstore any day. Love old books and reading them. Great article!
1 year ago
girliepains says:
awesome
1 year ago
TheAdornedArticle says:
Gorgeous gorgeous bookstore! Love that I can see a copy of Dorothy Parker in the background!
1 year ago
mimsytoo says:
What a treasure - the secret book store and the video! Thank you!
1 year ago
marylr says:
like the purloined letter!
1 year ago
Furiousdreams says:
What a great little film - beautiful! And thanks to Michael for keeping one independent bookshop alive....even if a well guarded secret.
1 year ago
whenwer64 says:
Did you see anything on illustrator George Stavrinos??
1 year ago
Soul2Hand says:
Puffing the pipe...very classy ;0)
1 year ago
rbcquilts says:
This space reminds me (in feel, not in design) of my favorite bookstore: The Book Cliffs, in Wabasha, Minnesota.
1 year ago
Iammie says:
I hope to have my own library someday.
1 year ago
dragonhouseofyuen says:
how absolutely fantastic! loved the intro to this by Andrew and I love what he says about Michael - how rewarding it is to live your life by your own terms. thank you for reminding me that I am allowed to be myself and different! if ever i find myself in NYC i shall ask to visit :) wishing Michael and Andrew the very best!! thanks :)
1 year ago
CrownWillow says:
As an avid reader this post just kept me smiling the whole time. What a true gem Michael is. I find myself watching this video over and over, I just loved everything about it. Comforting and calming, I just wished I lived a little closer. Beautiful story Andrew, well done.
1 year ago
mayhamdan says:
material for a movie for sure.. enchanting and magical..
1 year ago
sceneontv says:
Wow, what a great video. I hope Michael and his store can stay 'underground' even after more exposure...he's really keeping the right spirit towards his work and it's quite refreshing. All those books and shelves tell so many stories just by looking at the graceful aging they have gone through Also, what a great choice using The Album Leaf for the music...it's so cinematic, and really adds to the mood. Great job guys.
1 year ago
UpscaleDownhome says:
Such an interesting story and shop and person...I really enjoyed learning about this. Just the idea of a secret book shop is enticing!
1 year ago
JoviesJewels says:
That was a great story, would love to visit that shop, home! The pictures are the best. Thanks for sharing.
1 year ago
LavenderField says:
Nice and crowded :0)
1 year ago
Powerofflower says:
Wonderful post!
1 year ago
blainedesign says:
This is so beautiful. I'm so moved that someone chooses to live in this way and give us so much of himself. It's one of those efforts that sort of restores your faith in people. Lovely.
1 year ago
bayanmary says:
Amazing! Thank you for sharing!
1 year ago
faefactory says:
Oh, how I love the magic of good old story... I think that all great art tells a story; and for every great story told, there is a presence of art. Before I create my art, I have a story in my head, in my spirit. Then I let it come out through my hands and my heart. That is my art.
1 year ago
frommyvintageheArt says:
Wow I would love my own secret shop. My etsy shop just doesn't compare. His passion for books is beautiful.
1 year ago
goldbee says:
old europe atmosphere..thanks for this post.
1 year ago
BozenaWojtaszek says:
Wonderful place!
1 year ago
Leocardia says:
Unfortunately even in "old europe" the tiny bookshops tend to disappear, as it happened to my favourite one. The rent went up, the sweet lady who "owned" the bookshop could not afford it any more and now it´s a boring shop offering sports fashion. I still miss the old bookshop, where I bought almost every book, I gave to my daughter, when she was a little girl.
1 year ago
yimmekedesign says:
What a great statement : "If it's all about money, there's better things to sell'. This sentence only, shows Michael's love for what he does and has been doing. His familiarity with failure in life as he says it so humbly, turns out to become not such a failure at all, since there are still enough people in this wild and fast world, who adore and admire honest and faithful passion.
1 year ago
lovelygifts says:
Great article! I love books and its so nice to know there are people out there like him. Congrats!
1 year ago
kathyjohnson3 says:
What a unique and fascinating person Michael is! Thank-you for sharing that awesome video and story, I would love to visit sometime.
1 year ago
SimpleJoysPaperie says:
I have favorite used book stores in several towns and cities around me. Nothing beats browsing for hours (yes, hours) in a dimly lit shop that smells of old books!
1 year ago
RubyJaneandme says:
Ah..Old Books...Old smells...browsing and browsing..Bravo, Michael for doing what you love, no matter the financial gain. Long live your shop and you.
1 year ago
StrongylosPhoto says:
Thank you for the post...I felt like I was somewhere magical while watching your video, Andrew. What a charming shop, a wealth of adventures, treasures and inspriation simply waiting their turn for their pages to be gently opened and read. Fascinating owner!
1 year ago
lizardlady says:
What a beautiful, evocative film. I love old books and the people who love them! I can imagine the feel of the place, the smell of the books and his pipe, tiny motes of dust in sunbeams, quiet lazy afternoons of browsing and reading snippets before making a selection and rushing home to dive into a new (old) treasure! Fortunately there is still such a place in Columbus - The Book Loft in German Village. I'm going back SOON.
1 year ago
Drawula says:
Excellent. Give me a good book and a good glass of wine and give it to me, now.
1 year ago
AlpineGypsy says:
I'm with Drawula. You had me at old books! Another of my passions....wow, an article on wild foraging, and now secret used book shops! You guys rock.... Heidi
1 year ago
sofias1cobwebmuseum says:
Love the new gadgets but Praise God somebody still is making the old time Book Shoppe available with all the wonderful old books. Hope this never goes out of fashion! Your location was meant to be!
1 year ago
ShuuShuubyLulu says:
I love books and if I ever get a chance to get to New York City again, I will definitely be checking out this Oasis. And in this digital and electronic age these types of places need lots of exposure. Thanks for the low-down !!!!!
1 year ago
Piggy says:
Great video and article. I think with the modern and affluent society and one with mass consumption, there are less and less of such places around. I know of such shops that wouldn't survive in my country bcos of the expensive real estate prices. I admire his passion and principles. Totally inspired.
1 year ago
2TrickPony says:
there's a magic to old books and secret places...and people just going ahead and doing what they love, though it sounds cliche.
1 year ago
TinfenaStudio says:
It almost feel like Farenheit 451where people have to memorize entire books, in Brazenhead, Michael preserve them and readers come to worship... something Kindle will never understand. Great interview !
1 year ago
tokenandpine says:
This is awesome! Go Michael! I love the sense of subversive right action, and the good work he is doing.
1 year ago
hybridhandmade says:
This is a beautiful film. I watched it a fair few times during the course of today and even ended up today's blog post around it. Great work, great editing, a fascinating snapshot of a unsung hero. http://hybridhandmade.blogspot.com/2011/07/hidden-things.html
1 year ago
BanglewoodSupplies says:
I miss New York. This post made me the city even more. There are so many wonderful resources there. Nice story, Thanks.
1 year ago
EETabbSandifer says:
I am in love! Thank you so much for sharing. if I ever am in New York I will have to find this wonderful shop.
1 year ago
thevintageattic10 says:
Great Interview ! Books and literacey mean so much ! Great photo's as well enjoyed it very much and my fab finds sceamingkettle books on etsy doing a great service to all
1 year ago
aqneru says:
fantastic story, thanks. So good to know about it…next time in ny:)
1 year ago
redemptionart says:
funny, i have been craving a few hours hidden among dusty, interesting books, in fact just stared at a local used book store sign as i rushed by (yuk, i hate rush) today....this has motivated me, I am doing it this weekend, thank you Michael, good luck to you!
1 year ago
LaCasaGialla says:
Seriously cool
1 year ago
CactusCreek says:
I am new to the internet market place and to blogging, so bear with me! I unfortunately didn't discover the luxury of books and reading until I was an adult. Brazenhead book store is the kind of place I luv to hangout. I have many vintage and antique books in my shop as well. Check us out! Thank you, book store is very cool!
1 year ago
BellaandTino says:
Wow love the film, and the secret bookshop is my idea of heaven fantastic and if I'm ever there I would love to visit x
1 year ago
Faeriegael says:
For those of you looking for his shop, please rewatch the video. He mentions his full name near the begining and then at the end explains that the way to find him is the phonebook.
1 year ago
Kate81650 says:
This makes me want to cry ~ for the loss of intimacy found in a small neighborhood book store. The very best to you, Michael. Thank you.
1 year ago
Mary Ryder from BeautyInfusion says:
PLEASE!!! SOMEONE TELL ME THE ADDRESS!!!!!!!!!!
212 days ago