MEET BILL HALL: THE OWNER OF NYC’s HOTTEST FASHION ARCHIVE — HIGH VALLEY BOOKS IFYKYK
To most passerbyers, there’s nothing particularly special about the apartment at 882 Lorimer Street. However, with a press of the doorbell, you can summon the extremely knowledgeable owner of High Valley Books, Bill Hall.
Since 1999, the first floor and basement of Bill’s three-story Greenpoint Apartment have served as the physical location for High Valley Books. Visits to the store are by appointment only which can be made through DM’ing the High Valley Books Instagram. Guests are also able to search for books before their visit via the High Valley Books Website.
The store houses an impressive collection of vintage and contemporary fashion magazines and a “Hand-picked stock of books on fashion, architecture, interior decoration, photography, graphic design, gardening, literature, travel and cookbooks.” (Quote from: High Valley Books About Us)
Over the last 25 years, Bill has cultivated his impeccable taste by buying collections from art directors and designers of all sorts.
Within the first few minutes of my visit, Bill picked up a special issue of Ms. Magazine, and treated me to a story about the history of the title ‘Ms.’ Popularized around the early 70s; the term gained recognition within the Feminist Movement. It was used as a way to obscure a woman’s marital status and detach her identity from that of a male spouse.
High Valley Books is a time machine: taking contemporary designers and artists to a pre-Internet world where inspiration wasn’t found scrolling through Pinterest or your Instagram feed.
As Bill puts it, “the older, established designers can remember a time when the computer and phone were not a big part of our lives. There was a fun feeling of accomplishment tracking down interesting or unusual things by spending time in a library, bookstore or record shop.”
This type of environment where one can spend hours browsing through the shelves is exactly what Bill seeks to cultivate. At High Valley Books, inspiration finds you as you wander the store – an experience no longer common in our highly-curated, algorithmically artificial world.
Your cat, Squirty, is an excellent addition to the store’s atmosphere. What’s his favorite spot in the store?
During the day Squirty enjoys sleeping on the orange couch. At night something goes on with him and his companion Juni—they seem to spend the evening knocking over books in the basement.
What is your current favorite book(s) in your collection?
My current favorite book is a 1950s Italian trade catalogue devoted to children’s shoes: very colorful and fun.
What book was the hardest to get your hands on?
I don’t really look for specific books—I buy collections of art directors and designers of all sorts. After twenty-five years, when I see something interesting I’ve never seen before I get very excited.
Has your vision for High Valley Books changed since you first started it?
I think it has evolved to be almost unrecognizable. I probably once imagined having an open shop with a lot of fiction and art books. I learned a lot in New York City, and my most important teachers, once I got started, were my clients.
If you could change one thing about the store or the operations of it, what would you change?
I would like more and more of everything, including space.
What value do you believe physical archives have to offer to contemporary designers, art enthusiasts, and artists?
The older, established designers, etc., can remember a time when the computer and phone were not a big part of our lives. There was a fun feeling of accomplishment tracking down interesting or unusual things by spending time in a library, bookstore or record shop. Now everything we know we want is probably available online–I enjoy providing a space for people searching for something, but they are not quite sure what.
Is there a particular customer or interaction that stands out as especially meaningful to you, and why?
I remember once a fellow called from Texas. He was looking for a 1960s German magazine called Twen, designed by Willy Fleckhaus, that is well loved by graphic designers for its innovative look. The magazine also had a very early computer dating feature, and this man, while a US soldier stationed in Berlin, had used it to find his wife, and wanted a copy for their 50th anniversary!
Living above High Valley Books must create a unique dynamic between work and personal life. How do you keep that balance?
I generally have a policy of not posting my family on social media, outside of cats.
Do you see High Valley Books as something that could have a life beyond you, or is it uniquely tied to your vision?
At one point I thought I would retire to the country with the bookshop—now I think it belongs in Brooklyn!
Written and Photographed by Nico Riley