Labryinth Books opened on Nov. 14 at 122 Nassau St., former site of Micawber Books
By Katie Wagner, Packet Staff Writer
Labryinth Books, newly opened at 122 Nassau St. onWednesday, has taken pains to avoid giving its academic patrons a labyrinth-like experience as they search for scholarly titles. Signage marks each specific discipline.
But general interest categories like fitness, sports, gardening, crafts, mystery and science fiction are still being sorted out.
”I’m finding it a little difficult to find everything in the store,” said Mark Schulman, a Montgomery resident who was visiting the store Wednesday – Labyrinth’s opening day in Princeton. “The New York Times Bestsellers aren’t labeled.
”I came here to buy a Yoga book, but there doesn’t seem to be one here,” he said.
Dorothea von Moltke, an owner of Labyrinth, said, one of the store’s focuses is to keep bookshelves containing academic disciplines a little bit separate from the other books.
”Academic subjects require a degree of specificity that other books don’t,” she said.
General interest books, now randomly placed on shelves and tables throughout the center and front of the store, will get their own sections when the basement portion of the store opens in January, she said.
Princeton University’s course books and other materials will also be sold in the basement.
Mike Johnduff, an English literature graduate student at the university said he is looking forward to purchasing books for his courses next semester at Labyrinth.
”I think they’ll handle that better than the U-Store (the Princeton University Store),” Mr. Johnduff said. “I’ve heard good things about the way they do it for Yale students” at the Labyrinth in New Haven, Conn.
Mr. Johnduff added that he and all of his friends appreciated the entirety of Oxford University Press World’s Classics offered.
”I’m happy there’s a whole table full of just the classics of literature,” he said. “They also have great philosophy and literary theory books.”
Other opening day browsers also seemed pleased.
”It’s great to have a bookstore in town,” said borough resident, Steve White. “We’ve gone for months without having any bookstore.”
”I think it’s fresh and it’s alive and it’s pretty and it’s what we need here,” Mr. Schulman said. “The staff’s really friendly and they’ve got a lot of sale books, which is cool. I also like the comfy chairs.”
The store’s children’s books section was also well-received.
”The selection I’m very happy with. It looks very kid friendly,” said Lisa Magliozzo, a member of Princeton University’s staff who lives in Freehold. “They have some of the series that my son reads, Madeline for my daughter and children’s mythology, which my kids love.”
Some visitors were disappointed to find used books and magazines and newspapers were not being sold. Both had been available at Micawber Books, which preceded Labyrinth in the Nassau Street location.
Magazines and newspapers, are unlikely to be sold at Labyrinth, Ms. Von Moltke said. However, used books will be added to the store’s shelves once a collection is built, she said.