Hope Farm Press & Bookshop 252 Main Street Saugerties NY 12477 845-246-3522
Publisher of New York Regional History, Folklore, Nature, Military History and Genealogy Books
A BIG photo of the old interior To return to Contents or for ordering information
For a photo and bio of the proprietor - Richard Frisbie
Allow me to introduce myself and tell you a little about Hope Farm Press & Bookshop.
Hope Farm Press & Bookshop was established in 1959 in Cornwallville, Greene County, NY, by Charles Dornbusch, just before he retired from the New York City Public Library. The buildings and land were originally purchased by his family from the Hope family who had farmed it for years. Thus, it became Hope Farm Press. It was not connected with either the orphanage called Hope Farm, or Father Devine's Hope Farm, both of which were also in the Hudson Valley.
Charles Dornbusch ran it as a walk-in and mail-order bookstore for 30 years. From his interest in the local history of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountain region grew a catalogue of 500 books and pamphlets on the area, and his remote mountain Bookshop became the destination of people from all over the world. His death in 1990 left a void in the pursuit of the preservation of our heritage that I can only hope to fill.
When Mr. Dornbusch died in 1990 his heirs (Greene County Historical Society) invited me to participate in a competitive bid for his business. They sold the property separately, and I moved the contents to a building that started out as a chicken coop/garage in my hometown of Saugerties. While I continued to operate my book store, Booktrader, on Main Street, I ran Hope Farm as a mail-order business. In 1992 I sold Booktrader and opened Hope Farm Bookshop in the hastily converted garage with 300 feet of wooden shelves. My office was squeezed into the coop section with room for 2 computers and printers, and a side room with 8 pallets and 3 steel bookcases for the cases of stock I maintain. It was very cozy and easy to heat. I don't know how I ever lost anything there - but I did My personal library was here for researchers and genealogists to use on a big trestle table in the middle of the room. But - all that is history now . . .
The fellow I sold the Booktrader to (in 1992) called me on July 28th, 1997 and told me
he was moving to California on August 20th. He asked if I wanted to buy back my old store
in the Village of Saugerties. He knew I was very busy and needed more space. I knew I
didn't have time to move my shop!
Anyway . . . when it came down to either no book store in the village or me running Hope
Farm out of the larger space . . . I bought it back and moved. We're still settling in (it
may take years!) but welcome visitors always. Children
welcome! Have them turn off the space
mmo game and come see some of NY's history.
I look forward to your visit.
NEW! - In 2007 we moved yet again. Now Hope Farm Press is located directly behind the old store at 15 Jane Street. It is around the block on the little one-way street that services the back of Main Street's businesses. I'm open many afternoons from 12-5. Usually Wednesday thru Saturday, but please call for exact hours: 845-246-3522.
Hope Farm Press & Bookshop is located 1 mile east of NY Thruway exit 20 (Saugerties) at 15 Jane Street, in the Village of Saugerties on the north (sunny) side of the street in a 2 story frame house - the only one in a block of brick buildings. There is a small sign with Hope Farm Press & Bookshop in the window halfway down the one-way street - #15. Call 845-246-3522 if you need more directions.
You can leave orders on my answering machine, which is SUPPOSED to be on when I'm not here, (!!) but if you need to talk to me - please call during business hours.
OK! Want to know more? - just ask!
For ordering information, or to email your comments. . .
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1997 & 2013 by Richard Frisbie -- All rights reserved.