A shop selling used books in New York City has turned to an unconventional group of individuals to help find rare collectibles: the homeless.
The Strand Bookstore pays the homeless handsomely for their troubles. Owner Fred Bass tells Al Jazeera how this section of society has been instrumental to the success of his business.
Duration : 0:1:42
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December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I’d like to visit …
I’d like to visit this bookstore. I’ve never set foot in a bookstore in NYC before.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
LOL
LOL
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
@ 0:38 it looks …
@ 0:38 it looks like that dude i pooping or farting… seriously though, awesome idea.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Well excuse me for …
Well excuse me for thinking a librarian would have some respect for the English language.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
i was at strand …
i was at strand before the events you allege. i saw guys arrive with boxes of books and fred offer them a low take it or leave it price. i emptied the libraries of dead men from their apartments(greek classics concealing yellowed playboys) that fred had bid for and won. his is a perfect capitalist business. it is also a great social service in recirculating many titles.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I do resent “your” …
I do resent “your” contrasting experiences because your “contrasting experiences” where better than mine. It could’ve been jealousy. But because i’m a growing human being I do apologize for my juvenile remarks. I admit I was hurting and resentful at the time I wrote this. We all gotta grow sometimes and the pain I went through definitely helped.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I know u posted …
I know u posted this ages ago but like the saying says “Past is prologue” and it still is, and like Eddie Murphy said in Coming to America “Fuck You, You, and You, Next” Lol. And by the way, it’s called short hand typing it is the 21st century, get with the program or get left behind it honey…now off!
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Probably paid some …
Probably paid some elderly woman $3 for the signed Capote and wouldn’t make eye contact with her, the way of a thief.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Those are awful …
Those are awful AWFUL people who own the Strand. I worked there a year, was groomed for managerial, and after I abruptly quit was in the NYC book trade for 15 years, and oh could I tell some stories about those monsters. They are primarily a criminal operation.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Strand also was …
Strand also was caught in the 1990s issuing lists of hot titles to “homeless” to steal from neighboring Barnes & Noble and Shakepeare & co (not to mention old Bill French right across the street). Sorry Fred & Nancy Bass, the cat’s outta the bag. Too bad not one of your ex-employees had enough grist to really spill the beans on your enormous tax-evasion schemes either. Or your regular low-balling of significant art libraries (remember the George Perret library at Westbeth? $1000??)
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
It is amazing that …
It is amazing that that store can stay in business if they buy any book that is brought in!
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Dear god! You’re a …
Dear god! You’re a librarian and you can’t even type out the word you?!
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Sorry did I upset u …
Sorry did I upset u lol? Oh yeah and about me getting CHEEKY with Fred his old wrinkely deserved it. Later.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
librarian salary …
librarian salary runs 47 to 62k.what is YOUR point? that you were cheeky to your boss and got canned? surprise! and you still resent it? and further you resent contrasting experiences? bass is a gruff old coot and the store staff is famous for its funny curt nyc service delivery. strand has been a stop gap for thousands.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
…and your point …
…and your point is…? I don’t mean to be a smart but are u tryna tell me that despite my bad experience with Mr. Fred Bass he treated you right?
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
i worked there 9 …
i worked there 9 months in early eighties. fred bass had good psychology. i got 4 raises of a quarter an hour each time! all new staff swept out the store early each a.m. for a period that depended on ones punctuality. each new employee was given a mini literature quiz to qualify match 10 authors and titles. good if poor times.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Fred Bass fired me …
Fred Bass fired me after working for him for a month and a half at Strands bookstore. He and his daughter Nancy were very disrespectful and rude to the employees. Everyone was afraid of him and I wasn’t so i respectfully but firmly told him that he u may own strands but u don’t own me! The next day he fired me. Six months later I got hired at NYPL to be a librarian and now I make 70,000 a year. Life is Good and when I see Fred, I laugh in his face lol.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Most of them are …
Most of them are probably stolen books!
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
great bookstore
great bookstore
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
¥T
¥T
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
What is important …
What is important about Mr. Bass is his respect for the homeless. If a Wall Street swindler comes in & buys thousands of dollars of books, no one is going to question where he got the money.// As to the comment above about Americans treating the homeless like shit, this is certainly true which makes Mr. Bass’s statements of respect all the more wonderful. If you type == SPD officer bags == into google you will find a story about a Spokane Police officer calling the homeless bags.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Your statement …
Your statement means nothing. The man is poor so he has to steal? Thieves steal. Poor people are poor. When poor people steal, they become thieves.
If you do not excuse socially dysfunctional behaviour, those who do so – will not look for excuses and will begin to honestly confront what they do wrong. If you give them excuses, they will never learn.
You obviously have never been poor. Poverty is not a behvioural prescription. We must always take responsibility for what we do.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Stealing is wrong, …
Stealing is wrong, but if the burglar who stole your books is so impoverished that he doesn’t even have a decent pair of shoes and has to wear footwear made out of tinfoil, then I believe he needs those books much more than you do.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Good for the USA. …
Good for the USA. We try but it always doesn’t work out this way. The homeless need every chance and this is sure better than just a handout.
December 8th, 2009 at 11:46 am
What kind of a …
What kind of a building do you live in? Where i lived in Chicago, there were bars or bulletproof glass on practically every window, and even though it was next to a crime rich area, it was a decent university neighbourhood.