A new chapter has begun for Baldwin book lovers. Book Nook, Long Island’s only Black-owned bookstore, opened at 1205 Grand Ave. on May 2.
It is also the hamlet’s first independently owned bookstore. After years of research, Marlene Munn and her husband, Roberto Joseph, chose Baldwin for their business, believing residents would embrace a local gathering place centered on reading and connection.
“I just thought that this was a great community to be in,” Munn said. “I felt that there were a lot of professionals here, and I thought it would be an asset.”
Baldwin’s diversity and strong sense of connection, she added, made it a natural fit for an independent bookstore. It reminded her of her childhood neighborhood in southeast Queens, a stable area of working professionals from a variety of cultural backgrounds.
“Baldwin seemed similar to where I grew up,” Munn said. “It has that same mix of lower- to upper-middle-class working professionals, along with many residents who immigrated from the Caribbean and Africa.”
For Munn, the bookstore’s mission extends beyond bookshelves and bestseller lists. She hopes it will serve as a gathering place where neighbors can meet, share ideas and build relationships.
“We need a third space,” she said, outside homes and workplaces or schools. “I think people are craving for it and don’t necessarily know where to go to create it. So we’re hoping that this becomes their third space.”
Since the store opened, customers have regularly struck up conversations while browsing the shelves. “They’re looking for a book, but they hear a conversation going on, and they come and they interject,” Munn said. “It’s the sharing.”
Residents say that Book Nook has quickly become a welcome addition to Baldwin. Sara Hill described it as “warm and welcoming” and said she was looking forward to activities such as author readings and book clubs.
And because of its unique ownership, it has drawn attention from readers across Nassau County and beyond. Many visitors, Munn said, have discovered the store through social media posts shared by customers and local community groups.
Shortly after it opened, she and her husband were recognized by residents at a local restaurant and another business. In both instances, introductions quickly turned into conversations about books, writing and the new store.
Munn began her career teaching social studies in Queens before earning a doctorate in educational psychology and later teaching education at Hofstra University and Long Island University's Brooklyn campus. She hopes to bring that experience to Book Nook by creating programming that encourages young readers to engage with both books and one another. Her plans include children’s book clubs, teen discussion groups, summer reading groups and author visits.
“What I hope to do,” Munn said, “is develop programming so that kids can begin to converse about what they’re reading and find people who are interested in some of the same things that they’re interested in.”
After learning about Book Nook through a Baldwin community Facebook group, resident Michelle Chen and her family recently visited the store. “Like others, we were thrilled to hear there was finally a locally owned bookstore right here in town,” Chen said. She added that it offers something for every member of her family, including her children.
There are sections devoted to fiction, nonfiction, history, children’s literature and young adult titles, and seating areas designed to encourage visitors to browse and explore new books.
Munn said she hopes the store’s programming will help young readers discover new interests, build friendships and develop a lifelong love of reading. She recalled a recent visit from three Uniondale High School sophomores.
“They were looking through the history section and they were like, ‘Oh, this would have been helpful for our AP History class,’” she said. “They were surprised that they could sit and just have a conversation.”
Customers of all ages, she said, have also shown an appreciation for physical books, even in an increasingly digital world. “There’s nothing like holding that book in their hand,” Munn said.
Some, she said, have even begun rebuilding personal libraries after years of reading digitally, purchasing bound versions of books they know. Many said they miss having books on their shelves and being able to revisit favorite passages.
Munn hopes Book Nook will also become a platform for local writers. It has already attracted self-published authors looking for opportunities to share their work and connect with readers, which for her will be one measure of success, along with evolving into a hub for book clubs, discussions and other gatherings.
Early feedback suggests that many residents are embracing that vision. “Everything I want in a bookstore, and right in the neighborhood,” Baldwin resident Rebecca Maines posted on Facebook. “I look forward to being a regular customer.”
For Munn, some of the most meaningful feedback has come from residents who say they are proud to see a bookstore open in their community. “They’re thanking me for opening it up here in Baldwin,” she said. “They feel proud that someone took a chance to open a bookstore.”
