449 Main Street, Rosendale, NY

As they themselves describe it at their website, Postmark Books is a “bright and airy space on Rondout Creek” that is “full of good cheer,” and I can attest that they are 100% correct about that. I stopped by in mid-winter and found the space full of sunlight, beautifully decorated, and about as clean and organized as a bookshop can be. And the selection? Yeah, they got that right too.

The shop is organized so that aside from your typical New Release, Literature, and Children’s sections, there are some uniquely curated sections with clever names, such as “Grim & Gritty: Page-Turners For Nights When You Don’t Feel Like Sleeping” and “Our Neighborhood: History, Guides, and Reflections From all Up and Down the River” among others. It’s a small shop, with two open rooms that flow into each other, and island displays that allow for a nice figure-eight route through the literature, mysteries, graphic novels, and all manner of nonfiction.

The shop also features flowers, stationary, gifts, and all manner of creative displays and decorations. It felt like the owners took great care to create not just a creative environment for book browsing, but a safe one too, with air purifiers and masks/hand-sanitizers readily available. But again, I return to the idea that this shop is uniquely curated. Each area feels precisely organized and hand selected. Walking through this shop felt almost like walking through someone’s finely manicured personal collection, one filled with intelligent, thoughtful, and diverse authors.

For the size of this shop, you are getting a lot for your dollar, and I highly recommend taking whatever detour you need to in order to find yourself walking through this door. It’s a real gem.

Atmosphere — White shelves, big windows, and colorful displays create a vibrant and bright atmosphere for browsing.

Quality — About as new and fresh as you can get.

Quantity — They use their space well and pack in a lot of books into the room available, but it never feels cluttered.

Diversity — This shop hits most of the usual categories, with plenty of fiction, history, and a wide array of nonfiction and children’s. Uniquely categorized as well, very creative.

Affordability — New books at new book prices.

Amenities — There are some comfy chairs, beautiful floral arrangements (available for purchase) and a nice selection of cards and stationary.

Location — Right on the one main strip in Rosendale, with parking in a few locations nearby.

Customer Service — The bookseller who rang us up was friendly and efficient!

Overall — This is a gorgeous little shop that is as bright, creative, and welcoming as advertised. With a unique and finely curated selection of books, this shop is highly recommended if you’re anywhere near New Paltz or passing through the Hudson Valley. Check it out!