Shopping - New York City Free and Dirt Cheap - page 152

Brooklyn. 718/488-8855. www.forkandpencil.com . Subway: F/G to Bergen St. Other location: 18 Bergen St., between Smith and Court sts. Subway: F/G to
Bergen St.
Furnish Green A suite inside a Broadway office building holds this collection of antique furniture. There's a
great eye at work here, with interesting and often elegant pieces on display. Shelves, dressers, desks, and mirrors
sell for a fraction of what they would in a conventional antiques shop. The website lists sales and specials, which
are the most affordable way to nab some midcentury modern. If you don't want to leave empty-handed, there's
also a dollar record rack, and antique glass bottles for $2 to $4. 1261 Broadway, Ste. 505, btw. 31st and 32nd sts. 917/583-9051.
www.furnishgreen.org . Subway: B/D/F/M/N/Q/R to 34th St./Herald Sq.; 1/2/3 to 34th St./Penn Station.
Green Village Used Furniture & Clothing The epic junk collection requires some rifling, but the low prices re-
ward your investment in elbow grease. For clothes, find quality on the racks and quantity in the bins—purchase
50 pounds or more and it's $1.50 per pound. Props, costumes, books, dishes, chairs, and miscellaneous antiques
round out the 10,000 square feet of possibilities. 276 Starr St., btw. St. Nicholas and Wyckoff aves., Bushwick, Brooklyn. 718/456-8844 .
www.gogreenvillage.com . Subway: L to Jefferson St.
Junk The name here isn't exactly self-deprecating: Wares tend to the low-end and you'll have to do some digging.
Your reward, however, is solid kitsch at cheap prices. New stock comes in twice a week and turnover is high,
so come back often to fill your comic book, needlepoint, and taxidermy needs. 197 N. 9th St., btw. Bedford and Driggs aves.,
Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 7 18/640-6299. Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
RePOP All manner of stylish furnishings here seek second (and third and fourth) lives in the big city. Chairs,
tables, desks, and cabinets can be picked up in pop iterations for prices that are a fraction of those at Manhattan
vendors. Pratt proximity brings in artisan crafts, and the events calendar serves up the occasional artist's recep-
tion. 68 Washington Ave., btw. Flushing and Park aves., Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. 718/260-8032. www.repopny.com . Subway: G to Clinton/Washington aves.
Other location: 143 Roebling St., at Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Bikes
Recycle-A-Bicycle The organization that runs these shops promotes biking in the city by selling rehabbed bikes
at reasonable prices. A top-of-the-line bike could set you back $500 or more, but that's a fraction of its cost new,
and your purchase is helping out a worthy cause. 75 Ave. C, btw. 5th and 6th sts. 212/475-1655. www.recycleabicycle.org . Subway: L
to First Ave.; F to Second Ave. Other location: DUMBO, Brooklyn, 35 Pearl St., at Plymouth St. 718/858-2972. Subway: F to York St.; A/C to High St.
Books
See the “Word Up: Readings,” section on p. 277 for other great sites for literary browsing.
Book-Off A huge, clean, insanely cheap bookstore in the heart of Midtown may seem like a mirage, but brother,
this thing's all real. A Japanese chain, Book-Off retails manga,anime, and Tokyo pop bands, along with English-
language music, movies, books, and video games. Acres of shelf space are dedicated to $1 and $2 book specials,
with plenty of first edition hardcovers represented. More recently arrived books average $5, which is also the
median price for CDs. Games and DVDs are generally $7 propositions. They buy books, too, if you're
looking to turn over a home library. 49 W. 45th St., btw. Fifth and Sixth aves. 212/685-1410. www.bookofusa.com . Subway: B/D/F/M to
47th-50th sts./Rockefeller Center.
The Strand The Strand is as legendary for its 18 miles of books as it is for its 5 inches of aisle space to maneuver
in. The big crowds are a testament to the great prices. Review copies of recent books share space with art books
at 85% off list and used fiction hardbacks that go for under $5. Bibliophiles with small apartments beware—it's
hard to leave empty-handed. 828 Broadway, at 12th St. 212/473-1452. www.strandbooks.com . Subway: L/N/Q/R/4/5/6 to 14th St./Union Sq.
Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books Positioning itself as the anti-B&N, this friendly family-owned
shop won't blow you away with the breadth of its selection of Donald Trump autobiographies. It will, however,
impress you with its well-chosen bargains in musician biographies, political philosophy, and Eastern religion.
Prices start around $2, and great gift ideas abound, especially if there's a Bob Dylan fan in your life. 34 Carmine St.,
btw. Bleecker and Bedford sts. 212/229-0079. www.unoppressivebooks.blogspot.com . Subway: A/B/C/D/E/F/M to W. 4th St./Washington Sq.
Westsider Books This tiny, charming shop has the best used books Uptown. There's a broad selection of literary
and historical works, and the occasional reviewer's copy can also be found, at discounted prices. A separate