A rendering of the Drama Book Shop and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Drama Book Shop, Getty)
Broadway might not be back yet, but the stars of Hamilton are ready for business.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and other members behind the hit show are the new owners of a century-old Manhattan specialty store that will reopen June 10, the New York Times reported.
Drama Book Shop will have a new look at its 266 West 39th Street location, just a block from its most recent location at 266 West 40th Street, the publication reported. Hamilton scenic designer David Korins designed the new space, which features a cafe.
Miranda and the rest of the Hamilton team bought the store in 2019 after it struggled to pay its rent.
The team had close ties to the shop: Hamilton lead producer Thomas Kail ran a small theater company there at the beginning of his career, the Times reported. Miranda spent a lot of time reading plays there in high school, and he joined Kail at the shop to work on “In the Heights,” a new musical directed by Kail that will be released the day after the bookstore reopens.
The store was set to reopen in late 2019 but experienced construction delays and, of course, the pandemic. Capacity will be limited, so the store is encouraging visitors to make reservations online.
[NYT] — Cordilia James
