travelling man shop york

Travelling Man

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74 Goodramgate

York YO1 7LF

United Kingdom

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About the Business

We feel passionate about comic books, boardgames and RPGs and we want you to feel the same. Our goal is to get everyone in the world to love at least one comic or game. We want to let the uneducated know that they're not just for kids. Comics can be about love, hate, politics, religion, life, death, anything. Sometimes stereotypical and sometimes the most amazing out-there pieces of literature you will every read. We want to bring comics from subculture to mainstream because we love 'em. We see boardgames and RPGs as activities which bring people together Face to Face rather than distant online events. They are about friendship, community and good old traditional fun! We run regular gaming events at all our stores, for more details just give us a call, we'd love to tell you about them :) We want to meet other people who feel the same and people who are just curious! We are a small independent business run by some of the friendliest people you will ever meet! …

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Travelling Man sells things like comics, clothing, and games. It's a nice shop and whoever is working there is normally helpful, as I normally go in for a gift rather than for myself. Prices seem ok too and I just think it's a good shop as if you know anyone who loves comics/role play/games then you are bound to find something for them here.

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The Ultimate Guide to Bookshops in York

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 12th September 2023  - Last updated: 25th February 2024

Categories Bookshops , Literary Travel , Travel , UK , York

If you’re a book lover and visiting York soon, you need to add these bookshops in York to your itinerary!

York bookshops may not be what the town is known for but there are over 10 bookshops in the centre of this tiny Medieval town.

You can walk from one end of York to the other in around 15 minutes meaning that you could very well visit all the bookshops in York in one afternoon, which is precisely what I did.

READ MORE: 48 Hours in York

The majority of the bookshops in York are independent bookshops, run by lovely book mad people.

In recent times, a number of York’s oldest and best bookshops have had to close due to financial hardship – The Grimoire Bookshop, Fossgate Books and Ken Spelman Books.

This was hugely disappointing to me and is a stark reminder as to why it’s so important to support your local independent bookshops!

Each and every single bookshop on this list is well worth a visit though, keep scrolling to find out why!

READ MORE: Reasons to Visit York

DISCLOSURE I was invited to York by Visit York to explore the city’s literary sights. However, as always, all opinions are my own, as were any book splurges (there were many!).

Bookshops in York

The Minster Gate Bookshop

The Minster Gate Bookshop sits in the shadow of York Minster and you can get spectacular views of the cathedral from just outside this bookshop. What may just be even more beautiful, however, is the inside of this shop.

The bookshop sits in a tall and narrow building with books in every nook and cranny. In the summer months, books will be laid out on shelves outside the door, but otherwise, there are bookshelves all around you from the moment you enter.

There are over five floors of books here and even the narrow staircase is lined with them!

In the first room, you’ll find rare and vintage editions. As you venture into the shop you’ll find more second-hand books with topics covering general fiction, classics, history, politics, York, and more. With five floors, you can bet they’ve got every possible genre covered!

I’ve visited Minster Gate bookshop a number of times now and can confirm that you could literally spend hours browsing these shelves.

Even when I thought I was finally on my way out of the shop, I found myself crouched in the doorway checking out some lovely Murakami editions on the bottom shelf of the first bookshelf.

There are a number of chairs and stools dotted around the bookshop too if you’d like to stay and read for a while. This shop never disappoints!

Speciality: Antiquarian and second-hand books Website: www.minstergatebooks.co.uk Address: 8 Minster Gates, York YO1 7HL Opening Hours: 10am – 5:30pm every day (11am – 5pm Sundays)

The Little Apple Bookshop

The Little Apple Bookshop is a small and adorable bookshop a few doors down from The Grimoire Bookshop.

It specialises in children’s books, which is evident from the moment you walk through the door as there are bright colours everywhere.

There is a carefully curated selection of the best children’s books from first readers to young adult. There are also some new releases in the adult general fiction genre.

Clearly the booksellers here know their stuff as one employee here, went on to be shortlistFiona Mozleyed for the Man Booker Prize!

If you’re looking for gifts, there are also plenty of bookish gifts for both children and adults alike.

Speciality: Children’s books Address: 13 High Petergate, York, YO1 7EN Opening Hours: 9:30am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday; 9am – 6pm Saturday; 11am – 5pm Sunday

The Blue House Bookshop

Another recent addition to the York bookshop family is The Blue House Bookshop. It opened in October 2019 and specialises in children’s and young adult fiction.

It’s a small shop with a carefully curated selection of the best children’s books around. The interiors feel like a cross between a very aesthetic and minimalist children’s playspace and an art gallery.

For parents and adults, there is a small shelf of adult fiction on the top floor in the far corner.

Speciality : Children’s books Address : 10 Bootham, York YO30 7BL Opening Hours : 10:30am – 4:30pm Monday to Friday

Oxfam Bookshop Micklegate

There are three Oxfam charity shops in York, two of which specialise in books. The Micklegate branch is the bigger of the two and stocks second-hand fiction and non-fiction in every genre imaginable.

The general fiction section is the most impressive with an extensive array of popular titles from across the past few decades as well as classics.

Additionally, you’ll find comic books, children’s books, history, art and more. In the back corner, there is also a music section where you will find lots of old CDs as well as records for you old souls.

Prices are astonishingly low at the York Oxfam Bookshops and you’re helping a good cause so shopping here is a no brainer really.

Speciality: Antiquarian and collectable books of all types Website: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/ Address: 46 Micklegate, York, YO1 6LF Opening Hours: 9:30am – 5:30pm every day (11am – 4pm Sundays)

Oxfam Bookshop Low Petergate

Much like its sister store at Micklegate, this Oxfam bookshop stocks a wide array of fiction and non-fiction books.

This shop is smaller but it is more central, which makes it a little more convenient if you’re just dropping by to see what you might find.

Speciality: Second-hand books Website: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/ Address: 69 Low Petergate, York, YO1 7HY Opening Hours: 9:30am – 5:30pm every day (11am – 4pm Sundays)

The Portal Bookshop

The Portal Bookshops is one of York’s newer bookshops only having opened in October 2019. It is currently the only bookshop in York that specialises in LGBTQIA as well as sci-fi and fantasy books.

The bookshop sits under a colourful rainbow sign and there’s a welcoming notice in the door that says there are free hot drinks and nibbles available for browsers.

Upon entering your eyes are assaulted with the vibrant colours of the shop and you can’t help but feel you have entered a den of happiness. The owner, Lali Hewitson, is just the loveliest, chatting to customers and offering recommendations.

Upon the bookshelf in the centre of the room, there are other goodies you can buy such as pins and patches in support of the LGBTQIA community.

For those interested in LGBTQIA reads, York LGBT Forum hosts a Rainbow Reading Group aimed at readers between 14 and 21 years old. It will focus on young adult LGBT fiction and you can find out more here .

Speciality: LGBTQIA literature Website: https://the-portal-bookshop.square.site/ Address: 5 Patrick Pool, York, YO1 8BB Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm Tuesday to Friday; 11am – 5:30pm Saturday; 11am – 5pm Sunday

RELATED: A Book Lover’s Guide to York

Travelling Man

The Travelling Man is a busy bookshop with a steady flow of people going in and out. Despite the name, the Travelling Man is nothing to do with travel but everything to do with board games, graphic novels and general geekery.

Inside, you’ll find the walls lined with row upon row of board game. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, offering advice on the best games to pick up based on your preferences and gaming experience.

The small chain actually dates back to the 1980s and has been operating for almost 30 years. Whilst the first shop was in London, their three branches are now based in York, Manchester and Newcastle.

Speciality: Boardgames and graphic novels Website: travellingman.com Address: 74 Goodramgate, York, YO1 7LF Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm Monday to Saturday; 11am – 5pm Sunday

Books for Amnesty York

Books for Amnesty is a charity bookshop that supports Amnesty International’s work to fight human rights abuses across the world. When I visited, they were having a huge sale and practically everything was just £1.

I managed to pick up a like-new copy of Number One Chinese Restaurant , which has been on my wishlist for ages, for just £1! This is where to come if you want to seek out the best bargains on books in York.

Although the shop is quite small, there is a decent collection of classics as well as general fiction and some more specialist genres.

Speciality: Cheap secondhand books Website: www.amnesty.org.uk/shopping/second-hand-books-vinyl-york-minister-volunteer Address: 42 Goodramgate, York YO1 7LF Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm Monday to Saturday; 11:30am – 4:30pm Sunday

Pitch 22 Records Books Art

Pitch 22 is a mishmash of music, books and art. it’s a small shop on the outskirts of the city and browsing these shelves feels a little like poking around in the back of your Dad’s garage. Soft jazz music plays as the owner sits behind a small table, reading.

The selection here is small but the prices are good and you may pick up a classic that you’ve been meaning to read. I loved the small pile of old photographs on a table near the door, perfect for vintage lovers.

Speciality: Records, books, art Address: 22 Fishergate, York, YO10 4AB Opening Hours: 12-6pm Wednesday to Saturday

Lucius Books

Lucius Books has a friendly and inviting atmosphere as music softly plays and two booksellers sit chatting and laughing behind the till.

This York bookshop has a very different vibe to some of the other rare booksellers on this list as their shop is pristine, very orderly and there’s lots of open space.

It’s full of stunning first edition copies that are in very good condition. This is because each book has been carefully wrapped in plastic, which I found rather disappointing, if still understandable.

This shop is the perfect place to shop for presents for a loved one as you could pick up a beautiful edition of one of their favourite novels. It’s not just vintage first editions either – there are plenty of first editions of modern classics and new releases too!

Speciality: Rare first editions Website: www.luciusbooks.com Address: 144 Micklegate, York, YO1 6JX Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (11am – 4pm Sundays)

Janette Ray Bookseller

Janette Ray Booksellers sits next to The Blue House Bookshop but has a very different niche. They stock rare books about architecture, photography and art.

As soon as you enter, you’ll be hit with the smell of old books that bookworms know and love. It’s a small shop but with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, there are plenty of titles in here to browse.

Since they stock rare books, if you spot something, snap it up quick – it might not be there for you when you come back!

NB. Janette Ray is only open three days a week so be sure to check opening times before you visit.

Speciality: Fine and rare books on art & architecture Website: www.janetteray.co.uk Address: 8 Bootham, York YO30 7BL Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm Wednesday to Friday

Waterstones York

Waterstones doesn’t need much of an introduction as book lovers will know exactly what to expect here. This is where to come if you want the latest releases on the very day they come out.

Although Waterstones is a chain store, each bookshop is curated to have the feel of an independent bookshop and this one is no different.

Towards the front of the shop, there are collections of books according to which genres and themes are trending at the moment.

There is also a section dedicated to both fiction and non-fiction about Yorkshire or by York writers, which I enjoyed browsing.

Waterstones York regularly holds events for touring authors so if you’re a local, it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled for any new announcements. They often relate to York authors or books but also international bestselling authors such as Holly Bourne.

There is also a wide range of stationery, games, bookish accessories and gifts to buy.

Speciality: New books, gifts, stationery Website: www.waterstones.com/bookshops/york Address: 15 Coney Street, York, YO1 9QL Opening Hours: 9am – 6:30pm Monday to Saturday (11am – 5pm Sunday)

Other York Bookshops: The Works York Christian Science Reading Room Taikoo Books Ltd.

If you want yet more bookish York, check out my book lover’s guide to York !

Getting to York

York is very easy to get to by train. It’s just 2-2.5 hours from London King’s Cross. Book via the Trainline for the cheapest tickets . 

If you’re travelling to York by car, you can leave your car in one of six Park & Rides sites surrounding the city. Parking spaces here are completely free and then you can hop on the bus to York city centre.

Pin now, read again later!

For more bookshops, check out these guides: Bookshops in Oxford Bookshops in Cambridge Bookshops in Bath Bookshops in Edinburgh Bookshops in Hay-on-Wye Bookshops in Brighton Independent Bookshops in London Specialist Bookshops in London Second-Hand Bookshops in London Bookshops in Dublin Bookshops in San Diego

Editor of What’s Hot?

Sunday 3rd of July 2022

okay, first of all, I was originally so excited thinking this was in York, PA...but definitely not hahaha THIS IS A BEAUTIFULLY DONE POST. OBSESSED!

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Fantastic sup always good deals in stock recently got a legend of Zelda T-shirt for 5 pounds was... read more

One of the best comic shops I have ever been to, and I have been to plenty! Amazing stock and... read more

Great store with a wide range of products

Had been here before, but visited again today and was impressed by the quality of product on offer. Great range of games and merchandise, as well as an amazing selection of comic books.

I highly reccomend this place for anything you need, comic or gaming wise. I wish I was a lot more local (here on holiday) just so I could spend more time looking around. There's nothing like this near me, so if I'm ever in York again I'd definitely make sure to drop in.

I went with a freind who loves board games and I found my self looking through the massive array of games the staff were really helpful and knowledgable and it's a lovely shop some great books and comics avlible lots and lots of choices

My boyfriend and I are big board game and MTG players so finding this place was the highlight for us. It packs a lot of items in to a small shop but they are moving just a street away to a bigger place. Really lovely atmosphere and the staff are helpful and accommodating to whatever your needs are, including giving any information to new games and events in the area or they host. We love this little shop and do plan to go back frequently.

For a small shop they pack a LOT of stock in! There are comics for all tastes including a section for children and younger readers, lots of board and card games and special interest sections. They also have a good loyalty card program and all the staff are very friendly and helpful.

As a child, I used to be fanatical about all things comic book, as I grew older my interest waned and I fell out of the loop. When I moved to York I was intrigued to visit this store, and I'm glad I did as my love of all things comic related has definitely returned! Comic book stores can sometimes be intimidating places, particularly if you're not up to date on the latest books, but this place is completely the opposite, they have a great selection of graphic novels both new and old, and if they haven't got what you're wanting in, will do their best to source it for you. The staff themselves are fantastic, they take the time to get to know you by name and make recommendations based on what you're already reading and what you say you'd like to read, rather than recommending the more expensive titles out there, the only reason I've stopped visiting is because I've moved to Manchester, but thankfully the branch here is just as amazing.

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Warhammer Discount Unmatched

Best discount on Warhammer I’ve found!! Quick and simple delivery the only company I’ve ordered a pre order from and received on release day (including GW) if you want what you pay for quick and easy these are the company to go with!!

Date of experience : March 18, 2024

Perfect description and quick delivery.

Purchased a couple of items from this shop online they arrived really quick and they arrived very well packaged and the description was spot on. Zero complaints will definitely order more in the future.

Date of experience : March 07, 2024

I recently ordered an almost full…

I recently ordered an almost full collection of "Goodnight PunPun" from Travelling Man. The price was exceptionally good. Items were dispatched and received quickly. I will definitely be ordering manga from them again in the future. I hope Travelling Man continues to be my go-to store for manga purchases. Highly recommended!

Date of experience : March 11, 2024

Arrived promptly

Arrived promptly, well packaged. Only issue was royal mail delivery arriving 6 hours after my expected delivery time. But by no means an issue with seller. Very pleased with purchase and will use again for larger value purchases, but free delivery on smaller items can be found elsewhere for same price.

Date of experience : March 04, 2024

Great service

Quick and delivered on time with frequent updates throughout.

Date of experience : March 13, 2024

Excellent, lowest price available for a sealed unopened product, delivered quickly.

Date of experience : March 19, 2024

The Travelling Man is a haven for board…

The Travelling Man is a haven for board game enthusiasts and manga fans alike! Their selection is incredible, customer service top-notch, and orders arrive carefully packed and lightning fast. It's a true gem of a store!

Date of experience : March 08, 2024

Very good price

Very good price, quick dispatch and free delivery over £60.

Great company to order from

Great company to order from. Really competitive prices and a great range. Quick delivery and very good service. Cant recommend these guys enough.

Always a pleasure to deal with

Always a pleasure to deal with. No problems whatsoever, and a great deal too

Would order from again

I was a bit concerned as it was my first ordering from this company and the FAQ on their website says "If an in stock order is placed after 2pm it will be dispatched the next working day" but I found that there was a slight delay in dispatching my order. I contacted the company to query it and they replied only ten minutes later to confirm all was ok and that they were just running a bit behind schedule due to being busy. The order arrived very quickly once dispatched, and it was neatly packaged. I would definitely order from this company again, and was really impressed with their quick customer service. The only reason I'm rating 4 stars instead of 5 is because I believe the FAQ should make it clear that they will "try" to ship next working day, instead of saying "it will be" - just to avoid any concerns.

Date of experience : January 30, 2024

Delivered promptly and in perfect condition

Ordered a rule book for my partners birthday. It arrived within a week as expected and was in perfect condition.

Date of experience : March 12, 2024

Fast delivery and competitive price

Fast delivery and competitive price. Best shop for wargamer miniatures! 😊

Date of experience : March 14, 2024

Great range of products

Great range of products. I Often find myself browsing and nearly always find something new, inspiring and exciting. Being a fan of many genres of board games and styles of rpg’s I’m never dissatisfied with what’s available, often ordering several products. Delivery is always prompt and prices are usually very competitive.

Date of experience : March 01, 2024

Items were well priced

Items were well priced, well packaged and delivered without issue.

A shop for gamers, by gamers.

They range of stock they carry was brilliant. I was notified the same.dsy that my products had been picked dand dispatched. Efficient and a great place for hobbyists to shop.

Great pricing and service as always!

Great pricing and service as always! On this particular occasion, I was contacted as a heads up that one of the books I ordered had some minor damage with a picture, and they gave me some options (discount/refund) etc - I really appreciated this as it was going to be a book for my wife who is an avid collector so I politely asked for a refund on that one book which they happily did and I still got the rest of my order in the next couple days! Many thanks, will continue ordering from them :)

Only one book was slightly damaged…

Only one book was slightly damaged volume 13 jujutsu kaisen but other than that it was perfect.

Date of experience : February 12, 2024

Excellent 👍

Easy to use website, arrived next day,. Even had an issue with an incorrect shipping address was able to ring and get changed straightaway. I will be using again.

Date of experience : March 06, 2024

Excellent & Fast Service

I orded a product from Travelling Man after seeing they had a product at great price compared to similar online model retailers. Travelling Man delivered it in a fast ammount of time. The package arrived in good condition with no issues. I have visted Travelling Man Manchester numerous times & have found the store to be a pleasant experience, it has wide range of items & helpful staff.

Date of experience : February 20, 2024

Travelling Man

Travelling Man is one of my first stops for comics and graphic novels as they always seems to have just what you want on the shelves and also have a good selection of games and toys in stock.

They currently have four stores around the UK in Leeds, Newcastle, York and my local store in Manchester  which is great and manages to compete with the Forbidden Planet Megastore which is located across the road. I would probably put the success into the effort they put into have staff who know there comics, weekly game nights and pretty awesome comic book signings.

With comic book signings from the industry innovators such as Adi Granov who reinvented the modern Iron man which has sculpted the comics and movies it isn’t surprising that they have great roots in the UK comic book scene.

Although Travelling man has a great selection of stores on the high street they have recently opened an online store to go with the official Travelling man blog.

Travelling Man Official Site Travelling Man Blog

Travelling Man Leeds 32 Central Rd, LS1 6DE Tel: 0113 4236461

Travelling Man York 54 Goodramgate, YO1 7LF Tel: 01904 628787

Travelling Man Newcastle 43 Grainger St, NE1 5JE Tel: 0191 2614993

Travelling Man Manchester 4 Dale St, M1 1JW Tel: 0161 2371877

Posted by Adi Mursec on July 18, 2009

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Travelling Man

4 Dale Street | Manchester M1 1JW Phone: 0161 2371877 OPEN NOW CLOSED NOW

This Northern Quarter shop is a goldmine for comic collectors. Travelling Man is one of four shops — the others are based in Leeds, Newcastle and York — which sells comic books, fantasy board games, role playing games, figurines and other collectibles. Residing next to Nexus Art Cafe, Travelling Man is unmistakable for its bright orange shopfront and windows adorned with the latest independent comics, graphic novels and games. It’s not just a shop, either — Travelling Man is a social area for groups of people to play games. The store also holds events including signings by comic book authors and illustrators, cosplay gatherings, and free comic days. The friendly staff provide plenty of information about each product and they strive to stock rare and imported items, and on the rare occasion that you don’t like an item a staff member recommended, they’ll let you return it in exchange for something else. [Charlotte Davies]

Travelling Man 4 Dale Street Manchester M1 1JW

Opening Hours: Mon: 10:00 - 18:00 Tues: 10:00 - 18:00 Wed: 10:00 - 18:00 Thur: 10:00 - 18:00 Fri: 10:00 - 18:00 Sat: 10:00 - 18:00 Sun: 11:00 - 16:30

Phone: 0161 2371877 Web: http://www.travellingman.com/ Email: [email protected]

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York Emporium turns the page as Jim Lewin retires and hands book store over to a new owner

Twenty years ago, a man walked into a used bookstore. 

The man, Jim Lewin, wasn’t looking to buy a bookstore. He was just looking for some books. He and his wife Pam had come into some money through a publishing venture, and Pam, who usually set a limit of $20 or $30 that Jim could spend in the bookstore, upped the limit and, well, one thing led to another, and Jim found himself owning the York Emporium. 

Now, sitting in the store that he has turned into a York institution and reflecting on how it came to this, he goes back to when he was a kid growing up in Buffalo. His mother encouraged reading, always asking him what he was reading at the moment. His teachers provided inspiration. He always seemed to have a book in his hand.  

But it all started with "Harold and the Purple Crayon." The 1955 children’s book follows the adventures of Harold, a 4-year-old boy who has a magic purple crayon that grants him the power to create a world of his own simply by drawing it. (For instance, Harold draws the moon to allow him to go for a walk in the moonlight.) 

“I was enthralled with it,” Jim recalled. “That’s what got me started. It just got out of control.” 

As he spoke, he was sitting among a half-million volumes, the stock of the York Emporium, shelved in the 10,000-square-foot former car dealership, a world of his own creation. “It’s never a question of having too many books,” he said. “It’s a question of not having enough shelves.” 

And this is how it ends, at least for now, as Jim retires and hands the emporium off to a new generation. He’ll turn 70 in a few months, and a few years back he had a heart attack. He said, “It’s time for me to move on.” 

It wasn't planned

The York Emporium is a reader’s dream. 

Its shelves contain everything from contemporary fiction to classics, from biographies of presidents to Italian-English dictionaries, from noir poet Mickey Spillane and sci-fi master Ray Bradbury to Dickens and Twain. 

Beyond that, the place has an ambiance that can only be described as eclectic. A poster tacked to the side of one shelf quotes Marx – Groucho, that is – who once said, “Outside a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside a dog, it’s too dark to read.” Signed posters of the Cigar Box Guitar Festival, held at the shop every August, line the top of one wall. Display cases hold everything from classic comic books, to old Life and National Lampoon magazines to political buttons from Nixon and Goldwater to LBJ, RFK and Eugene McCarthy. 

There seems to be no order or message or coherence to it – “I just put up stuff I thought was interesting,” Jim said – but underneath the seeming chaos is order. Fiction shelves give way to shelves of history volumes and reference books and one shelf containing books about relationships and, according to the signage, “Icky Stuff.” 

It is, as one book lover who visited the store for the first time recently said, the kind of place you’d want to get locked inside for a month, provided food was available. (Jim assured the visitor that there was probably food somewhere in the store.) 

The store’s eclecticism reflects Jim’s own. He loves books and reads widely. One of his benchmarks for a good used bookstore, and one of the benchmarks of his own store, is that someone can wander in and find a book they never knew existed. 

It wasn’t planned out. 

“I just took my experience in used book shops from Boston to San Francisco and in between and took what worked and what didn’t work and put it all together,” he said.  

Some things he just did for himself. He started a jam session that features bluegrass, folk and blues every Sunday afternoon, a slow business day, “because I got tired of being here all alone.” 

'I never looked back'

In the ‘90s, some years after graduating from Assumption College in Worchester, Mass., Jim was working for Kodak, a corporate representative visiting local photo processing shops to assist the shops in adopting the company’s technology. 

During one of his stops in York, working with the former Simon Photo lab on South Pine Street, he had some time on his hands – it was a weekend – and stopped by the York Emporium. He often sought out used bookstores while on the road for his job, the shops providing him with an affordable dealer to serve his jones for the written word. 

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Rock history in Red Lion: This Red Lion rock music museum is packed with memorabilia - even a signed pair of panties

The place was, like a lot of used bookstores, disorganized and dirty, books stacked on shelves willy-nilly and having the kind of mildewy odor of grandma’s basement caused by books being stored in less than dry conditions. 

Still, it was like heaven. It was like a treasure hunt. Every now and then, a gem would shine through among the clutter, a moment of serendipity that those who prowl used bookstores recognize. 

“I almost didn’t make my 5 p.m. appointment that day,” Lewin recalled. 

He moved on from Kodak – in the late ‘90s, with the advent of digital cameras, the company was “going away,” he said – and started his own business in electronic imaging, putting photographs onto CD-ROMs, riding the swell that soon became a wave that replaced film with ones and zeros. 

He did a lot of work for the government, recalling presentations for the Smithsonian in which he held up a silver disc that contained images that, in print, would fill a good part of an archive. 

He was always looking around for something else to do and found it on eBay. “I was screwing around on eBay when I was supposed to be working, doing something else, when I came across an 1890s book, Frank Leslie’s Illustrated History of the Civil War,” he recalled. The book was massive, containing newspaper illustrations depicting battles and other images of the War Between the States. He was excited about it and told his wife, Pam. She said, “Yes, that’s great. Stay away from it.” It was expensive and they couldn’t afford it.  

But Lewin saw an opportunity. He could scan it and put it together on a CD-ROM in a user-friendly manner. He bought the book, digitized it and tried to sell it to the Smithsonian. The museum wasn’t interested, but passed the idea to Harper Collins publishers, who liked the idea and asked what else Lewin had. He and Pam came up with a list of 24 ideas over dinner and Harper picked five. “I was going to be a published author,” Lewin said. “I can’t tell you how excited I was.” 

Driving home from New York, he and Pam stopped in York to visit the Emporium. Usually, when the couple would visit a used bookstore, Pam would place a limit on how much he could spend. This time, because they just came into some money, Pam upped her limit, telling Jim he could spend $15,000. Pam asked the owner about the store and whether it would be available. The owner said, “Let's talk.” 

That was in September 2004. On Jan. 1, 2005, he and Pam took over the York Emporium. 

“I never looked back,” he said. 

Never thought about becoming an institution

Over the years, Jim introduced special events – “being mercenary,” is how he put it – to make the Emporium a part of the fabric of York’s culture. He’s had events celebrating literary genres, from sci-fi to horror to romance to mystery, and hosted concerts and the aforementioned jam sessions. It was a ploy to get people into the store.  

“I wasn’t thinking in terms of becoming a York institution or anything like that,” he said. “I thought once I’d get them in the first time, they would come back.” 

He may originally be from Buffalo, but York is home. (His heart, though, remains with his hometown football team and he is a long-suffering Buffalo Bills fan. He was at the Super Bowl XXV when the Bills lost to the New York Giants when kicker Scott Norwood pushed a last-second field goal wide right. He was seated right behind the goalposts and to this day refers to Norwood as “he who will not be named.” He said, “I’m kind of over it.”)  

The building itself contains some local history, dating to the dawn of the 20th Century. The car dealerships it housed were just part of its story. It had housed the business that sold the first TVs offered for sale in town; people would crowd around the front window to watch them. During the Great Depression, he said, there was a speakeasy in the basement.  

There have been moments that reflect some personal histories. Once, he said, a 40-something-year-old customer walked to the front counter carrying a series of children’s books and told Jim that he'd had the books when he was a kid. Jim said he was glad he had them in stock to take him back to his childhood. The customer said, “No, I had these books.” He opened them up and his name was written inside the front cover in crayon. 

Running a brick-and-mortar bookstore in the digital age is tough. Jim does some business online, but most of his trade comes through the front door. “A lot of people get used to buying books online,” he said, “until they come in here.” 

A couple of years ago, Scott McLaughlin, a biology teacher at a charter school, was looking for some books about the Civil War. A friend recommended he check the York Emporium. It was a good suggestion, and one that would change his life.

He struck up a conversation with Jim and immediately liked him. "He is a genuine guy," he said. "It was clear he adored what he did."

McLaughlin has some books he wanted to sell and Jim gave him some shelf space for them. As they spoke, McLaughlin told Jim, "If you ever decide you want to sell, let me know."

McLaughlin has "always been around books." His aunt and uncle had a bookstore and he loved it.

A while back, Jim told him he was thinking about retiring and remembered McLaughlin's offer. Jim had another offer, but it fell through and the deal was struck - McLaughlin would be the new owner of the York Emporium.

"It's been around forever," McLaughlin said. "Hopefully, I can do right by it."

It's daunting.

"There's no way I'm replacing Jim," he said.

'Sit back and appreciate it'

As he said, “It’s time.” 

It’s time, he said, “to sit back and appreciate it. That’s what I’m looking forward to.” 

He and Pam just bought a house in Leader Heights, and he plans to finish the basement and fill it with books. “I have an overstuffed leather couch and an overstuffed leather chair and I’m going to read all day.” 

Jim will stop by the store to “check the new books that come in,” he said. “I get first pick. I can take a book home and read it and bring it back. It’s still just a used book.”

Columnist/reporter Mike Argento has been a York Daily Record staffer since 1982. Reach him at [email protected]. 

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Florida shopper accused of hitting walgreens store manager in face with bible on easter sunday.

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A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly assaulted a Walgreens store manager with a Bible on Easter Sunday.

Peter Owens, 35, was arrested and charged with felony battery after the incident that unfolded at a Walgreens store in Clearwater Beach on March 31, according to an arrest affidavit from the Clearwater Police Department.

According to the affidavit, Owens entered the Walgreens store just after 11:30 p.m. to purchase a pair of headphones when he got into a verbal altercation with a store employee over the merchandise.

The argument escalated after the employee got the store manager involved.

Owens then allegedly smacked her in the face with a Bible after she asked him to leave the store.

Officials also said that this was not Owens’ first run-in with the law. He has one prior conviction for battery and was convicted on that charge in March 2020, according to the affidavit. 

Police were able to locate Owens shortly after and take him into custody.

He told police that he hit the store manager with his Bible because “she was being rude to him,” the affidavit said, adding that “he did not mean to hit her.” 

Owens was released from the Pinellas County Jail the next day after posting $5,000 bond. 

However, Owens’ crime spree did not stop there.

Less than 24 hours after his release, Owens was arrested again.

According to an affidavit from the Tarpon Springs Police Department, Owens allegedly stole men’s shoes and a box of Cheez-Its from Walmart. 

The affidavit described that Owens allegedly grabbed the snack and took it into the bathroom with him before selecting a pair of shoes from a shelf and ripping the tag off them.

He then tried on the shoes before allegedly shoving them inside a duffle bag. 

Owens was stopped by a loss prevention officer when he allegedly walked out of the store without paying.

Police were notified and Owens was arrested once again and transported to the Pinellas County Jail. As of Wednesday afternoon, he remains in custody on $150 bond, according to jail records.

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Man sentenced to 37 years on hate crime charges in deadly shooting at Muslim-owned tire shop

Authorities say a man who shot someone to death at a Muslim-owned tire shop in Dallas has been sentenced to 37 years in prison on federal hate crime charges

DALLAS -- A man who opened fire at a Muslim-owned tire shop in Dallas in 2015, killing one person, was sentenced Wednesday to 37 years in prison on federal hate crime charges, authorities said.

Anthony Paz Torres, 39, pleaded guilty in September to five federal hate crime counts for killing one man and trying to kill four others during the shooting at Omar's Wheels and Tires on Christmas Eve in 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. He also pleaded guilty to one count of using a firearm to commit murder, federal prosecutors said.

Torres is currently serving a 35-year sentence after being convicted of murder by a Dallas County jury in 2018 in the slaying of Enrique Garcia Mendoza, a 25-year-old who was a passenger in a car getting serviced outside the tire shop.

Torres will get credit for time served in state custody, the Justice Department said.

Federal prosecutors said he admitted to making anti-Muslim comments at the tire shop a few days before the shooting and pledging to come back. When he returned, he asked customers if they were Muslim, and after being escorted to his vehicle by tire shop employees, fired in the direction of multiple employees and customers, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Torres admitted to opening fire because he believed they were Muslim.

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‘A Lot of Chaos’: Bridge Collapse Creates Upheaval at Largest U.S. Port for Car Trade

A bridge collapse closed Baltimore’s port, an important trade hub that ranks first in the nation by the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles.

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Shipping in the Port of Baltimore

Monthly cargo handled by the Port of Baltimore

By Peter Eavis and Jenny Gross

• March 26, 2024

The Baltimore bridge disaster on Tuesday upended operations at one of the nation’s busiest ports, with disruptions likely to be felt for weeks by companies shipping goods in and out of the country — and possibly by consumers as well.

The upheaval will be especially notable for auto makers and coal producers for whom Baltimore has become one of the most vital shipping destinations in the United States.

As officials began to investigate why a nearly 1,000-foot cargo ship ran into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the middle of the night, companies that transport goods to suppliers and stores scrambled to get trucks to the other East Coast ports receiving goods diverted from Baltimore. Ships sat idle elsewhere, unsure where and when to dock.

“It’s going to cause a lot of chaos,” said Paul Brashier, vice president for drayage and intermodal at ITS Logistics.

The closure of the Port of Baltimore is the latest hit to global supply chains, which have been strained by monthslong crises at the Panama Canal, which has had to slash traffic because of low water levels; and the Suez Canal, which shipping companies are avoiding because of attacks by the Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea.

The auto industry now faces new supply headaches.

Last year, 570,000 vehicles were imported through Baltimore, according to Sina Golara, an assistant professor of supply chain management at Georgia State University. “That’s a huge amount,” he said, equivalent to nearly a quarter of the current inventory of new cars in the United States.

The Baltimore port handled a record amount of foreign cargo last year, and it was the 17th biggest port in the nation overall in 2021, ranked by total tons, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Baltimore Ranks in the Top 20 U.S. Ports

Total trade in 2021 in millions of tons

Baltimore ranks first in the United States for the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles, and for vessels that carry wheeled cargo, including farm and construction machinery, according to a statement by Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland last month.

The incident is another stark reminder of the vulnerability of the supply chains that transport consumer products and commodities around the world.

The extent of the disruption depends on how long it takes to reopen shipping channels into the port of Baltimore. Experts estimate it could take several weeks.

Baltimore is not a leading port for container ships, and other ports can likely absorb traffic that was headed to Baltimore, industry officials said.

Stephen Edwards, the chief executive of the Port of Virginia, said it was expecting a vessel on Tuesday that was previously bound for Baltimore, and that others would soon follow. “Between New York and Virginia, we have sufficient capacity to handle all this cargo,” Mr. Edwards said, referring to container ships.

“Shipping companies are very agile,” said Jean-Paul Rodrigue, a professor in the department of maritime business administration at Texas A&M University-Galveston. “In two to three days, it will be rerouted.”

But other types of cargo could remain snarled.

Alexis Ellender, a global analyst at Kpler, a commodities analytics firm, said he expected the port closure to cause significant disruption of U.S. exports of coal. Last year, about 23 million metric tons of coal exports were shipped from the port of Baltimore, about a quarter of all seaborne U.S. coal shipments. About 12 vessel had been expected to leave the port of Baltimore in the next week or so carrying coal, according to Kpler.

He noted that it would not make a huge dent on the global market, but he added that “the impact is significant for the U.S. in terms of loss of export capacity.”

“You may see coal cargoes coming from the mines being rerouted to other ports instead,” he said, with a port in Norfolk, Va., the most likely.

If auto imports are reduced by Baltimore’s closure, inventories could run low, particularly for models that are in high demand.

“We are initiating discussions with our various transportation providers on contingency plans to ensure an uninterrupted flow of vehicles to our customers and will continue to carefully monitor this situation,” Stellantis, which owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, said in a statement.

Other ports have the capacity to import cars, but there may not be enough car transporters at those ports to handle the new traffic.

“You have to make sure the capacity exists all the way in the supply chain — all the way to the dealership,” said Mr. Golara, the Georgia State professor.

A looming battle is insurance payouts, once legal liability is determined. The size of the payout from the insurer is likely to be significant and will depend on factors including the value of the bridge, the scale of loss of life compensation owed to families of people who died, the damage to the vessel and disruption to the port.

The ship’s insurer, Britannia P&I Club, part of a global group of insurers, said in a statement that it was “working closely with the ship manager and relevant authorities to establish the facts and to help ensure that this situation is dealt with quickly and professionally.”

The port has also increasingly catered to large container ships like the Dali, the 948-foot-long cargo vessel carrying goods for the shipping giant Maersk that hit a pillar of the bridge around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The Dali had spent two days in Baltimore’s port before setting off toward the 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge.

State-owned terminals, managed by the Maryland Port Administration, and privately owned terminals in Baltimore transported a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo in 2023, worth $80 billion.

Materials transported in large volumes through the city’s port include coal, coffee and sugar. It was the ninth-busiest port in the nation last year for receiving foreign cargo, in terms of volume and value.

The bridge’s collapse will also disrupt cruises traveling in and out of Baltimore. Norwegian Cruise Line last year began a new fall and winter schedule calling at the Port of Baltimore.

An earlier version of this article misstated the Port of Baltimore’s rank among U.S. ports. It was the nation’s 17th biggest port by total tons in 2021, not the 20th largest.

How we handle corrections

Peter Eavis reports on business, financial markets, the economy and companies across different sectors. More about Peter Eavis

Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times in London covering breaking news and other topics. More about Jenny Gross

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Wife of Yankees executive killed in Armonk after tree falls on car during storm

ARMONK, New York (WABC) -- The wife of a New York Yankees executive was killed when a tree fell on her car in Armonk during wild storms on Wednesday evening.

Police say a tree fell onto a car that was traveling northbound on Route 128 between School street and Leisure Farm Drive around 5:30 p.m.

The driver, who was the only person inside the vehicle at the time, was fatally injured.

She was later identified as 50-year-old Catherine Tusiani and is the wife of a Yankees executive.

The Yankees released a statement on Thursday, sending their condolences after the tragic loss.

"Words cannot capture the devastating impact that is being felt within the Yankees family after the sudden and tragic loss of Cathy Tusiani. Cathy was beloved by our front office staffers, who were privileged to experience and bear witness to her kindness, intelligence, sense of humor, and great love for her husband, Michael, over the two-plus decades of dedicated service he has provided the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family. As we share in the pain and grief with Michael, daughters Alexa and Julia, and the entire Tusiani family, the Yankees stand with them to offer our complete support and unconditional love as we navigate this unimaginable loss."

North Castle was hit particularly hard during the storm, resulting in multiple road closures and even schools were closed for the day Thursday.

There are reports of at least four other storm-related deaths throughout the country as storms moved across the U.S., including one in Kentucky, one in Oklahoma and two in Pennsylvania.

Few other details were released.

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