Horror-Themed Book Cafe Twisted Spine to Open in Williamsburg

Something wicked this way comes to Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The Twisted Spine, a new horror-themed bookshop and cafe, has signed a five-year lease for 1,500 square feet at the base of Richard Pogostin’s 306 Grand Street, according to broker Meridian Retail Leasing. Asking rent was $65 per square foot.

The bookstore, which calls itself a “portal into the macabre” and a “haven for horror enthusiasts,” launched last summer as New York City’s first bookstore exclusively dedicated to horror and dark literature, according to its website.

While Twisted Spine has already made its name known in the city through pop-up events, its new space between Roebling and Havemeyer streets will be its first brick-and-mortar location.

“This pocket of Williamsburg is quickly becoming a hot spot for unique food and beverage and retail concepts, and The Twisted Spine is a perfect fit,” Meridian’s Stephen Ligambi, who brokered the deal for the tenant and landlord along with Kevin Bisconti, said in a statement.

“Kevin and I had the privilege of placing restaurants, fitness concepts, and now this bookshop café in this vibrant stretch of the neighborhood, and we’re excited to contribute to its ongoing evolution,” Ligambi added.

A spokesperson for Twisted Spine did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while Pogostin could not be reached for comment.

Twisted Spine — which set out to “create a space where the world of horror can thrive” — sells a wide collection of tomes, including horror classics such as Dracula, Carrie and Frankenstein, as well as “books for horror movie lovers” such as Night of the Witch-Hunter and The Watchers, according to its website.

It’s unclear when the bookstore will open in its new spot at the base of the three-story 306 Grand Street. The building has three apartment units on its upper floors, according to StreetEasy.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.