Librairie de France to close
Heckuva a way to start the new year -- but Radio France International reports that Librairie de France, a charming bookstore that has been located at Rockefeller Center for 73 years, plans to close in September. Apparently the area's chic boutiques are crowding out the shop; annual rent jumped from $360,000 to $1 million, according to the RFI report.
I have fond memories of the store, located on the promenade near the ice rink. Even though I don't read French well, I always enjoyed browsing among the old prints, Petit Prince books and French merchandise. The shop provided the sort of burst of foreign charm that makes New York such a wonderful place. Where will I get that now?
The bookstore opened in 1935 at the invitation of David Rockefeller, who wanted Europeans to be part of his new office building, according to RFI. During World War II the bookstore published French authors, such as André Maurois, Jules Romains and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who had fled the German occupation of France.
While she always preferred The Hardy Boys to Nancy Drew, 
Comments
I agree that this is a terrific store. It really adds to the international air of Rockefeller Center. My local bookstore, Womrath Bookshop (www.womrath.com) in Bronxville, NY, has been in business for 70 years. I hope there isn't something unlucky about the 70s!
Posted by: Gail Farrelly | January 2, 2009 2:33 PM
I was similarly bummed when that great newsstand in Inner Harbor East closed. I loved getting international magazines and papers there.
Posted by: Clare | January 6, 2009 1:54 PM
I would like to send all my regards to the family Emmanuel Molho, owner of the Librairie feançaise, where I worked in 1973.
There, it was the place all the european artists and writers came to speak about their experience of the second war world.
I met a lot french people who can't come back in France because of their heavy heavy past with vichy's government.
All my best regards for Mr Emmanuel Molho.
Christine Reddet
Posted by: christine reddet | January 11, 2009 4:25 AM
I worked at "Librarie de France" as a sixteen-year-old on Saturdays in the early 1990s. I am grateful to "Manny" for the opportunity he gave me, at such a young age, to work at his bookshop. I had the chance to interact with people from all over the world while getting a chance to practice my then-rusty French (which improved a lot in the six months I was there!). I am saddened to hear that this jewel of a store will be closing. Seventy years is a long time, and to have something suddenly end... I hope the online business thrives. Thanks for the memories!
Posted by: Andy Echevarria | February 28, 2009 12:40 PM