Named after the big red couch that is front and center when you walk in, Nyack’s newest bookstore will keep you busy browsing its carefully curated shelves. A combination of personal knowledge and a lifelong dream have made Big Red Books a reality for owner Richard Fulco, who has thoughtfully selected books across all genres and for all ages. Fulco’s general interest bookstore aims to be at the center of the Nyack community, providing an enriching social and artistic environment for local creatives to connect and appreciate the arts.
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Entering the literature world as a high school English teacher, Fulco taught for over 20 years before deciding in the middle of the pandemic that he wanted to make a change in his life. Having fantasized about opening a bookstore for a long time, he decided it was finally time to get started on this endeavor. After spending some time searching for a location, Fulco, who isn’t a Nyack native but frequents the town, passed by an old music shop with a “for rent” sign in the window, called the realtor, and opened his store – turning fantasy into reality.
Fulco’s bookstore ambitions stem from his own personal relationship with reading, as he believes the written word is important and can change points of view. In fact, he even took a break from teaching to work in a bookstore at one point in his career, during which time he realized how much he enjoys meeting others who share his same love of books. For Fulco, if he sold anything else it would just be retail, but the books are what make it special.
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In terms of stock, Big Red Books has around 4,000 books currently, including everything from fiction to children’s books to cookbooks. It was important to Fulco that Nyack residents had a say in what they wanted to see at his bookstore, so he asked around before stocking his shelves. Last month, Fulco had a local authors section on display because he believes in supporting Hudson Valley writers, and he recently erected his banned books display in honor of Banned Books Week, which runs from October 1–7.
Aside from the books, Big Red Books also sells greeting cards, candles, postcards, stickers, and tote bags. Fulco is excited to begin hosting author readings, gallery openings, live music, poetry nights, book clubs, writing workshops, children’s story times, school visits, and book fairs. The first of these events will be an author reading on November 8 by Julio Vincent Gambuto, a writer and filmmaker.
“Big Red Books provides a supportive space for local authors and artists to celebrate and promote their work.”
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The inspiration for the bookstore definitely comes from its namesake, a couch referred to by Fulco and his partner as “Big Red.” An inanimate object that acts as a central character in their lives, Big Red is a place in Fulco’s living room where he and his family congregate to eat, sleep, play music, read, and everything else. Fulco wanted his bookstore to feel like home to other artists and Big Red is a great representation of that ideal, so while it’s not the original, he knew he had to have one in his store. Fulco is excited to become more involved in the Nyack community as his business grows and he finds his niche in the neighborhood.
Big Red Books is located at 120 Main Street in Nyack.
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