Argosy Book Store: 100 years of stories and the family binding them

MANHATTAN -- Argosy Book Store is not your ordinary bookstore -- it feels like stumbling upon a secret library in the heart of Manhattan.

Founded in 1925 by Louis Cohen, the shop first stood along the book row of Fourth Avenue before moving to East 59th Street in the 1930s, where the city has since grown up around it. Today, the store is proudly in its third generation of family ownership, led by Judith Lowry; her son, Ben Lowry; and her sisters Adina Cohen and Naomi Hample.

Spanning six floors, Argosy is a treasure trove -- every shelf and surface is lined with books. Several floors are home to rare finds, including first editions, historical autographs, antique prints, and maps sought by collectors from around the world.

A true New York institution, Argosy Book Store continues to thr