Emma Straub's New Bookstore, Books Are Magic, Under Construction On Smith Street

When beloved Cobble Hill bookstore, BookCourt, closed, novelist Emma Straub announced that she and her husband were working on opening an independent bookstore for the community, "A neighborhood without an independent bookstore is a body without a heart. And so we’re building a new heart." Now, it's closer to reality.

The store, called Books Are Magic, posted this Instgram photo, with the caption, "Dear Brooklyn, we've planted our flag. Starting this spring, you can find Books Are Magic at 225 Smith Street, on the corner of Butler. We can't wait to sell you books."

Last month, Straub discussed her new venture with the Huffington Post, saying that she hoped the store would open in May. Here's an excerpt

You worked at BookCourt. What do you hope to emulate about that store, with your store? And is there anything you’d like to change, or anything new you’d like to try?

What’s most important to me is to have a space that feels open and welcoming, and comfortable. That’s the number-one thing.

I think BookCourt did a really beautiful job for 35 years, and I hope to be half as good at it as they were. Luckily I have a lot of friends who run independent bookstores in New York City. In fact, everyone who runs a bookstore in New York City has been so friendly and encouraging to us about this. Christine Onorati, who owns WORD, is one of my dearest friends. Stephanie Valdez and Ezra at the Community Bookstore, Rebecca and Jessica at Greenlight, Maggie Pounzie at Story, a children’s bookstore. Sarah McNally. Every person has been encouraging, and offered their help and expertise. We really feel like we’re not trying to compete with anyone. We are truly just doing this to fill this hole in this neighborhood where we live, that has been served so beautifully by BookCourt for so long. We’re just trying to be a little salve for the wound.

As for the name, Straub said, "We hadn’t really thought about names very much. We had a few that sounded more like a butcher shop. We were struggling a little bit. And then, we were talking about just doing a children’s bookstore. And I just thought, books are magic. Just, books are magic, that’s it, that’s the whole point. And we decided that books are magic for everyone, not just children."