16. The Strand is the backdrop for famous movies, TV shows, and books

Many iconic areas in New York City make appearances in famous movies, TV shows, and books (check out our lists of New York City film locations for more of that). Given the Strand’s reputation as one of the biggest and best independent bookstores out there, it’s no surprise that filmmakers and writers wanted to include it in their works.

Most prominently, Twilight’s Robert Pattinson played a Strand staff member in the film Remember Me. The Strand even made a name tag for him!

Aziz Ansari also reads in The Strand in the hit Netflix series Master of None, and the store has also made appearances in films like Six Degrees of Separation, Julie & Julia, the miniseries Flesh and Bone, and was referenced in Gilmore Girls. It also appeared in the 1948 movie The Bishop’s Wife.

As for books, the Strand was the setting of Joyce Carol Oates’ short story “Three Girls” and the backdrop for Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn.