Combining her passions was always the aim for Leigh Altshuler, and she has brought her unique vision to life with Sweet Pickle Books.
Leigh Altshuler had always dreamed of opening her own bookstore, but the time never seemed to be quite right. Then, in 2020, everything changed.
Like many others across the world, the global pandemic left her jobless. She decided there was no time like the present, and she got to work on fulfilling her dream.
But this bookstore is a little different. With Sweet Pickle Books, Leigh is offering a refreshing twist on a well-loved community favorite. This is her story.
Sweet Pickle Books
Venture down to 47 Orchard Street, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and you’ll find something quite unique. This is Sweet Pickle Books, a used bookstore like no other.
As well as offering a great selection of pre-used and pre-loved books to the general public, the shop also offers something else. That’s right… pickles.
The store is the work of Leigh Altshuler. She’d always wanted to be a bookseller, but she wanted to sell something else alongside all that great literature. Growing up in a Jewish household, Eastern European foods were a big part of her background—and that included pickles.
As this part of the Lower East Side was once known as the pickle district of NYC, the choice was relatively easy. She would sell craft pickles, as well as books.
A Bold Leap
While Leigh had been dreaming of opening up her own store for most of her life, the story really began in earnest five years ago. When COVID-19 shut everything down, Leigh lost her job in marketing. Finding herself temporarily directionless and with a lot of spare time, she decided to pour her energy into this new project.
“I’ve always loved books, and I knew one day it was a dream of mine to open my own bookstore,” Leigh said.
“And people love pickles. The combination of those two exceeded my wildest dream for people showing up for things.”
“I have people coming in every day saying, ‘I’m obsessed with pickles and books, so I had to come here,’” Leigh added.
It seems like that bold leap really paid off.
Famous Fans
Sweet Pickle Books functions as a regular bookstore. You can step inside, browse the titles, and buy a few for yourself.
It also functions as a regular pickle store. You can visit the store and grab a couple of jars of pickles, ready to be enjoyed at your leisure.
But it’s the combination of the two that makes it so unique. You can bring a few books of your own and trade them for some of Leigh’s delicious pickles.
Some of these fans are huge names. Former One Direction star and world-famous musical artist Harry Styles has visited the store on his trips to NYC, as have Joe Jonas and Troye Sivan. This surprising business model has won plenty of fans across New York and way beyond.
Hollywood actors have also sought out Sweet Pickle Books, eager to see what all the fuss is about. Emma Roberts and Jacob Elordi are both patrons, while Olivia Wilde brought the store to international attention when she purchased some Sweet Pickle Books merch.
At an Elle photoshoot in 2002, Wilde wore one of Sweet Pickle Books’ hats. The store became the word on everyone’s lips, and Leigh’s craft pickles found their way to an even wider audience of taste buds.
The Next Steps for Sweet Pickle Books
What’s next for Leigh and her journey? Well, one thing’s for sure, she’s going to be selling more pickles.
At first, the store was away for her to sell the pickles she was making at home. But as demand began to grow, she found herself unable to keep up. The supply she’d expected to last “a lifetime” just wasn’t enough.
She sold more than 80,000 jars of pickles in five years of operation. To hit those kinds of numbers, she’s had to outsource this part of the operation to a supplier from Texas.
Leigh also plans to teach more people about the history of the area. She loves to share this proud story with customers when they visit her store.
“It’s a history that’s in danger of people not knowing it,” she said. “Eastern European immigrants fled the war, and they lived in tenements. … It’s such a New York story, and it’s definitely one that should not be forgotten.”
And how about the books?
She’s got big plans for those, too. Leigh is opening another store for rare and highly sought-after books. The new shop will be called ‘Sweet Pickle Books: Rare, Fine and Fancy’.
Some of the texts included in the new store will be an edition of Jack and the Beanstalk from the early 20th century, as well as a copy of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk autobiography, signed by the man himself.
What began as an exciting dream, all the way back in 2020, has flourished into something huge.
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John Burns
John has been writing ever since he was small, and is delighted to be able to make his living as a writer now he’s not quite so small. Literature has always been a big part of John’s life, and he loves sharing this passion with readers from all over the world.
