Rizzoli at 60

Rizzoli Bookstore, located at 1133 Broadway in New York City for the past nine years, celebrates 60 years of bookselling, while Rizzoli New York, the publishing arm, marks 50 years of producing high-quality, luxury illustrated books.

Founded by Milanese bookselling and publishing entrepreneur Angelo Rizzoli in 1964 at 712 Fifth Avenue, Rizzoli Bookstore has been a landmark of art and letters in New York for six decades. Now at its current location on Broadway, we continue to embody the glamorous Italian legacy that Angelo Rizzoli envisioned.

When once asked why he chose to open an international bookstore in New York, Rizzoli explained:

"I was visiting New York, walking on Fifth Avenue with the Italian Consul-General, who lamented that there wasn’t a single bookstore in the country where one could find the beautiful books published in Italy. At that moment, we passed 712 Fifth Avenue, and I decided then to create a bookstore that would be the most beautiful in the largest city of the most important country in the world." (Excerpt from Lillian Ross's New Yorker article, "Molto, Molto, Molto," April 23, 1965)

Beyond publishing, Rizzoli was also a film producer, bringing us classics like the Don Camillo series and auteur films that helped elevate Italian cinema on the global stage. These included Umberto D. (1952) by Vittorio De Sica, La Dolce Vita (1960) and 8 ½ (1963) by Federico Fellini, and L’Eclisse (1962) by Michelangelo Antonioni.

Rizzoli Bookstore’s cinematic connections continue today, with appearances in films like Manhattan by Woody Allen, Falling in Love starring Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, and this year’s The Room Next Door by Pedro Almodóvar, winner of the Golden Lion Award at Venice Biennale Film Festival.

This strong link to visual arts and cinema inspires our special anniversary events program, Rizzoli at 60. We’ve asked each author to share how they draw inspiration from others and from disciplines beyond their own, highlighting the interplay between word and image that defines our bookstore.

Authors like Laurie Anderson, David Godlis, Garth Greenwell, Jhumpa Lahiri, Ira Sachs, Patti Smith, and Chris Stein will engage in freewheeling conversations about inspiration, collaboration, and the creative process. This cultural cross-pollination reflects the spirit of Rizzoli since its Midtown days. New York–based-genre-defying ensemble Tredici Bacci will pay tribute to Rizzoli’s influential role as a film producer with a concert inspired by the soundtracks Nino Rota composed for Federico Fellini's films.

The celebration continues with the annual Rizzoli Bookstore Holiday Fair on December 4, where a selection of favorite authors will sign the season’s most anticipated releases. Guests will enjoy Italian pastries and Prosecco, with authors including André Aciman (Roman Year), Rumaan Alam (Entitlement), Christian Siriano (Red Carpet Dreams), Maira Kalman (Still Life with Remorse), Hunt Slonem (Bitty Birds), and Joshua Charow (Loft Law), with more to be announced.

To round out the festivities, a two-day celebration of contemporary Italian literature featuring authors Giulia Caminito, Ginevra Lamberti, and Paolo Nori, curated by the international literary festival Le Conversazioni, directed by Antonio Monda, in collaboration with SIAE and AIE.

Event highlights:

Wednesday, October 9: Garth Greenwell and Ira Sachs
Thursday, October 17: Jhumpa Lahiri and Laurie Anderson
Sunday, October 20: Rizzoli Music Aperitivo presents Tredici Bacci: 13½ — Federico Fellini & Nino Rota, Tredici Bacci Style
Monday, November 11: Patti Smith and Lynn Goldsmith
Wednesday, November 13: David Godlis and Chris Stein
Wednesday, December 4: Rizzoli Bookstore Holiday Fair
Monday and Tuesday, December 9-10: Le Conversazioni with SIAE and AIE, featuring authors: Giulia Caminito, Ginevra Lamberti and Paolo Nori.

Rizzoli Bookstore not only honors its rich tradition but also looks to the future, evolving into a vibrant cultural hub where book launches, live concerts, performances, wine tastings, and creative workshops regularly take place, bringing together a growing community of book lovers.

Our customer service continues to transform the personalized bookselling experience of the 1960s into a modern, multichannel offering, integrating in-store activities with online services. Curated book selections remain a hallmark, not only reflected in our inventory but also through personalized subscriptions and bespoke collections. These collections, curated by Rizzoli’s expert booksellers, fill the libraries of some of the world’s most beautiful homes, hotels, and venues.