The NYC Shop Where You Can Trade Books For Fresh Pickles

There are few foods as inherently quirky as pickles. Lexicographer Grant Barrett maintains that the word itself is considered funny by most English speakers in North America, as are many other words with a hard "k" sound. But in certain circles, pickles (which in this case refer to cucumbers fermented in vinegar or some other form of brine) stand for more serious words: culture, tradition, and livelihood. To cite a popular example, the 1988 film "Crossing Delancey" follows a bookshop owner who falls in love with a man who sells pickles on New York's Lower East Side. 

While the classic romantic comedy is not solely about pickles, the vocation of its love interest (Peter Riegert) is a thoughtful choice. According to Untapped, pickles were a vital trade for Eastern European Jewish immigrants who came to New York in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition to other notable delights traditionally sold in Jewish delis and appetizing stores like the famous Russ & Daughters, the outlet says the kosher dill pickle might be New York's most "significant" Jewish American food.

When Leigh Altshuler opened Sweet Pickle Books on Orchard Street in Lower Manhattan in November of 2020, just a stone's throw from Delancey Street, she was nodding to a long neighborhood tradition (per Eater). As you might guess from its name, the shop sells both used books and freshly made pickles. 

Even before opening Sweet Pickle Books on the heels of pandemic-bred unemployment, Leigh Altshuler was keenly aware of the historical significance of pickles among Jewish American communities in New York. She grew up watching "Crossing Delancey" with her mother, and the shop was "a way to give thanks to her mother for encouraging her to be a voracious reader and a pickle-lover," per Eater's Emma Orlow. 

That's not to say that Altshuler's business is traditional in every sense. When you bring in your gently used books, you'll be treated to a jar of house-made pickles of your choice, which come in recognizable flavors like bread & butter, kosher dill, and spicy dill, per the shop's website. The jars are also for sale for those who come empty-handed. If you do decide to make a trade, TikTok user @pictureperfectlouis says to bring in four or five books. 

An FAQ post on the shop's Instagram warns that they reserve the right to refuse any donation. "Do not bring us your garbage!" it says. The post also notes that books for kids, young adults, and middle-grade students are not currently being accepted. Running her shop with such specificity puts Altshuler in the company of other storied New York City pickle purveyors.

The pickling tradition upheld by Sweet Pickle Books hasn't been all sunshine and roses. In 2007, The New York Times wrote about the so-called "great Lower East Side pickle war" sparked by claims over the legitimate heir to Guss' Pickles, which was once a legendary Essex Street pickle business.

Izzy Guss, the original proprietor of the store, died in 1975, says The Times. After that, operations went to a man named Harold Baker, who eventually turned things over to his "pickle apprentice" son, Tom. Meanwhile, the Leibowitz family (who supplied the pickles at Guss') trademarked the name Guss' Pickles in 2002, claiming to have bought the name from Baker. 

Here's where things get tricky. While the Leibowitz family claimed rights over the name, a woman named Patricia Fairhurst bought the physical store after Baker's death and continued to run it under the name Guss' Pickles. When Fairhhurst changed pickle suppliers, the Leibowitz family wasn't having it. In came a trademark infringement lawsuit, in which Fairhurst accused the Leibowitzes of "unfair competition" and "tortious interference." Sadly, the original shop closed in 2009 after 85 years of business, per Grub Street.