Around Town

New In Town: Sullaluna

Around Town
Words by Elizabeth Yoo
09.26.24
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While there is no shortage of bookstores in New York City, there is only one that is dedicated entirely to illustrated books…and Italian food. Originally located in Venice, Sullaluna added a new location this past summer. Shop owner Lorenzo moved to New York in February and opened the shop on July 19, with the goal of bringing a taste of Italy to the West Village. 

Adults who visit with the intention of eating a meal or drinking a glass of wine can peruse these books, even if they don’t normally read illustrated books. From its open French doors, the aroma of pasta fills the air as you walk by. What could be more inviting? Patrons dine or get lost in a book both indoors and on the sidewalk. Everybody looks relaxed, as if they’ve found a haven away from the commotion of the city. On a recent visit, I drank a strong espresso con panna topped with whipped cream and ate two delicious dishes: gnocchi al pesto di basilico and mezze maniche allo Scarpariello. The menu is mostly vegetarian and there is also a wonderful selection of wines.

Sullaluna celebrates visual storytelling. Its delightful rotating book displays are lined with American staples such as The Giving Tree and Goodnight Moon and Italian classics like Leo Lionni’s Frederick, starring an adorable and poetic field mouse. There is also a large selection of new children’s books with amusing titles like The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy, Mister Horizontal & Miss Vertical, and Child of Glass, from Brooklyn-based indie children’s book publisher Enchanted Lion Books.

illustration of a mouse and lizard under a full moon
Leo Lioni’s Frederick

Adults and children alike can enjoy these books. For example, The Great New York Subway Map by Emiliano Ponzi details the creation of the New York City subway map in 1972 by designer Massimo Vignelli. Ponzi’s illustrations underline the power of graphic design in simplifying complex ideas, such as a map. Without illustrations, this story could have been difficult to visualize. While geared towards young readers, adults who rely on public transportation can also appreciate this fun way of looking at a stressful topic such as the subway system! Art can help us understand our complicated world and broaden our imagination. Sullaluna bookseller Claire agreed, while recommending The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen: “The words are really simple and the story relies heavily on the images.” Claire is also an illustrator whose whimsical art can be seen on the menus and sandwich board outside the shop.

Sullaluna recently hosted the book launch of As Edward Imagined, which tells the inspiring story of legendary illustrator Edward Gorey. During the event, writer Matthew Burgess and illustrator Marc Majewski even created personalized drawings for guests. Another event was a “Blind Date with a Book,” in which patrons chose a wrapped picture book, with only a brief description on each one hinting at their contents. As Claire expressed, “It was fun to give a surprise mystery book for adults to become familiar with children’s books as a serious piece of literature.”

detail of interior with brightly lit children's books

Lorenzo: how was it moving from Venice to New York, and why did you decide to open an additional shop here?

My parents opened the original shop in Venice in 2017. My mother is an expert in illustrated books while my father is our contractor in Italy. All the shelving you see here is handmade by them. We really care about the little things. We decided to open another shop since a lot of New Yorkers came to Venice and liked our shop. I said, “Let’s do something crazy. Let’s move to New York City and see how things will go.”

Why did you choose the West Village?

I love the Village. I love SoHo too. There are young people, families, and real New Yorkers. We want to be something for the community — we want to have workshops, signings, we want to bring Italian journalists here to do talks. We sell books in Italian and English. We sell classic Italian books, and some of them have been translated into English so that the American public can interact with another culture.

In Italy, is the shop also a bistro combined with a bookstore? Where did the idea come from? It’s a very unique concept.

It’s very similar but what makes us different is that our bistro is a cafe in the morning — from 7:30-12pm, and then after, we become a wine bar with Italian food — pasta, small plates, second course, dessert. It’s a place where you can go any time of the day, chill, relax. It’s a very European space. I want people to feel like they’re in a cafe in Europe. Our menu is mainly vegetarian. Sometimes, we have fish on the menu. We change the menu often. We have a great selection of mainly organic wines from Italy.

detail of sidewalk seating and wood french doors

How do you select what books are sold here?


My mom selected every book here. Very important books. Our place is not too big so we want the best of the best of illustration and design. Children’s books are very good books — and I’m 24. After ten minutes of reading, you feel a lot of emotion, you take a lot of concepts from the books. You say, “Oh this is supposed to be for a seven year old boy,” and then you read it and as an adult, you can start crying.

What is your favorite?

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I love it.

What is a good illustrated book that an adult can also read and appreciate?

What is Love? written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Carson Ellis.

The name of your store translates to “on the moon” in Italian. How did you name the shop? It’s a great name.

In Italy, my family produces organic Prosecco. We sell it exclusively in our shop in Venice. Our goal is to bring our Prosecco here to sell it exclusively in New York. The name of the Prosecco is Lunatico. A person who is lunatico means someone who changes their mood very quickly — you’re sad and then you’re happy. Our place is for those people — we are on the moon, or “over the moon” like the expression. My mom chose the name.

illustration of a customer at a table inside sullaluna
Illustration by Elizabeth Yoo

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