A Look Inside Section 1: BookCourt’s New Bargain Basement

a Cobble Hill institution, has been serving the neighborhood for three decades. Over the years, the shop has grown and adapted to fit changing tastes and habits. Recently, the family enterprise debuted a new chapter in its business: Section 1.

A basement addition to the already spacious bookstore, Section 1 offers customers a growing selection of discounted books. The store already sells best-sellers at 30 percent off, and yet a demand for less expensive books remained. Opening a lower level bargain section seemed like a logical next step, said General Manager and Events Coordinator Zack Zook.

“We saw clients rush in weekly," he said. "Obviously, people love cheaper."

Zook decided to open the store’s downstairs space, little used since the 2008 renovation. Section 1 holds shelves of paperbacks, coffee table gems and best sellers, with nearly 90 percent of the books retailing at half their original price.

But don’t let the cheap prices fool you – this is no second hand yard sale collection. Most of the books in Section 1 are in mint condition and sold at a reduced price usually because of low sales. To make room in warehouses, books are often sold cheaply to bookstores, said Zook.

Capitalizing on this common publishing practice, Zook demonstrates his inherent knowledge of the publishing trade, and Cobble Hill customers can reap the rewards.

Among the titles spotted on shelves of Section 1 was the coffee table classic The Complete Cartoons of The New Yorker, selling for a thrifty $25.95, as well as a handsome hard cover copy of Tilmun Osterwald’s Pop Art for $ 8.95. The art section – along with the rest of the lower level addition – anticipates a host of new arrivals in the coming week.

One Carroll Gardens resident was spotted reaching for a volume of Magnum Photo’s Yousef Karsh: Regarding Heroes coffee table edition.

“Some of these are actually hard to find in a lot of places, especially grouped together like this,”  he reported appreciatively.

Another unique feature of Section 1 is the substantial $1 books wall. Made up from books donated by patrons, the shelf holds an eclectic collection of titles, at a true bargain price.

“It's so convenient to have good bargain options right here,” observed Melissa, a recent college graduate and self-expressed book enthusiast. She admitted she hasn’t spent much time downstairs yet, but is excited to see the section grow.

There are plans to add a lower level café by the end of this summer. Zook’s vision is a small, "European-style" cafe where customers can enjoy a quality coffee, select wines and a few snacks.

“It will feel really warm,” said Zook, who envisions a tasteful nook for those who wish to enjoy some refreshment with their literature.

Zook said feedback to Section 1 has been positive.

“This has only been a plus for us," he said. "It [Section 1] does not clash with the upstairs selection, and offers another avenue of business for us.”

BookCourt is a true haven for the urban book-worm; where customers can lounge, study and lose themselves in a favorite book; where plush leather couches and a rooftop skylight create a scholarly – yet hardly pretentious – ambience. Section 1 is one more unpretentious and welcome addition.