Books for Pickles

A few months ago my mom had a dream where she saw me walk into a used bookstore, hand over a few books, and leave with a rose. It struck her as an odd dream. She noted it seemed as if I was a regular in the shop, and well liked by the staff. Unfortunately she had no idea where it was located.

About a week later, I saw a video on Facebook about a place where you can bring in five or more books and swap them for a jar of pickles. I think I'd rather have the flower, but I was game. Sweet Pickle Books is located 47 Orchard Street in Lower Manhattan, about a 30 minute walk from the World Trade Center PATH Station. We were already heading into NYC to see "Maybe Happy Ending" on Broadway, and it was a nice day, so we decided to give the experience a try.

Visiting the website, they said they only accept books on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

Check! We were going in on a Tuesday.

They only accept certain types of books, but didn't list which ones. There is a sign in the front of the store with a list, which works if you live nearby. I was told next time I should visit their Instagram site first. Their website is under construction. 

I brought eight books from my Little Free Library overflow collection and put them in a backpack Don chivalrously carried. My first two were rejected because they are not collecting children's books at this time. They went across the street to a Little Free Library in a park that has a focus on children's books. Three others passed the test. The other three were taken more so I had a good experience than because it was what they were collecting at the time. 

The bookstore is jam packed with books. There are loose descriptions. Art, travel, etc.. The art section, for example, was organized by color. Finding a specific book would be like finding a needle in the haystack. I'm sure there are some treasures. In addition to books, they sell pickle-related merchandise. T-shirts, bookmarks, etc. According to their website, they take requests, so they must have some sense of their collection. I did not see any prices on the books, but there was a sign saying 10 for $10 is back, the sign had small print I did not read. In front of the book store is a rack of FREE BOOKS. I left wondering how they pay their rent.

The place is tiny and chaotic and the perfect place to spend time searching for that book that will make you sigh.