The storefront at 118 Norman Avenue looks enticing and not just because of the giant letters spelling “candy” in the upper window.
Storm Books and Candy is an independent bookstore with a focus on creators from the SWANA region (Southwest Asia and North Africa) and environmentally-minded creators. Specifically, the store highlights art, design, and photography books, as well as poetry and children’s books.
More than just a bookstore, however, as the space offers up a robust array of community-oriented programming, like artists workshops, poetry readings, potlucks, book talks, and much more.
Up next is a collaboration with Subtitled NYC (113 Franklin St., 2nd floor), a Greenpoint gallery who just launched a new exhibition entitled “Moving Towards Home: Art for Palestine in New York City 1989 & 2024.” The event, taking place tonight, May 9, has already sold out, but similar events are happening in the coming weeks, such as a workshop on ancestral plants of Palestine this Sunday, May 12, and a poetry reading and fundraiser for Gaza on May 16.
The community-building aspect has been a long time coming. For the past couple of years, the building’s owner had been using the ground floor space as an office, but had been allowing the Storm team to host exhibitions and events while the space was being renovated. When the owner decided they were ready to rent the space out, Storm’s Nour Sabbagh jumped at the chance and proposed that they permanently take it over.
“I think it’s very important to have a space that is in connection with its environment,” says Sabbagh, who hopes to partner more with the nearby Greenpoint Library and PS 34 elementary school, as well host more local artists. As a newer space in the soft opening stage, the team is open to any and all possibilities related to art and community.
“There is an incredible community in Greenpoint so it’s pretty easy to find incredible people,” Sabbagh continued.
And yes, as the name indicates, the team plans to sell candy, though they are currently figuring out who to partner with and what kind of candies to provide.
Currently, the store is open on Wednesday, 11am – 5pm, and Thursday – Saturday – 11am – 3pm.