"Hands down the best Japanese bookstore in Manhattan."
(in 68 reviews)
"Japanese books, magazines, music, anime, manga galore."
(in 33 reviews)
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Kinokuniya Bookstores
Rating Details »
Category: Bookstores [Edit]
Neighborhood: Theater District1073 Avenue of the Americas
(between 40th St & 41st St)
New York, NY 10018
(212) 869-1700
- Nearest Transit:
-
42nd St-5th Ave-6th Ave (7, B, D, F, V)
Times Square-42nd St (1, 2, 3, S, 7, N, Q, R, W, A, C, E)
33rd Street (PATH)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
100 reviews for Kinokuniya Bookstores
Review Highlights
When girlfrayned asked me to tag along with her so she could find some Japanese crochet books and bridal magazines (I swear, she's in her 20's) I was like, eeeh really? My first thoughts - 'Ugh I don't even like harajuku / Please don't make me watch Naruto / Well I heard there's a good cafe there'. So off I trekked to 6th Ave amidst the pushy shovey work hour rush to get to some silly Japanese bookstore.
And hmm... surprisingly Kinokuniya's alright! There's two floors filled with Japanese books, a lot of which are your expected manga, but a lot of stuff for normal, ahem I mean people like me. They have really cool fashion photography books on the first floor, and some of them include canvas handbags from big name designers like Marc Jacobs and Chloe, I'm guessing sold only in Japan, for only $20ish a pop. What what?! Now I can buy a bag here instead of waiting in that horrendous Marc Jacobs line in the West Village?! And it's more unique?! They also have beautiful holiday cards printed with Japanese art near the cash register - I was tempted to buy some to send out as Christmas cards this year but who are we kidding, I'm too lazy to do something that cute.
On the second floor overlooking Bryant Park is Zaiya cafe. For $9 I got a tomato, mozzarella, and prosciutto sandwich with side salad and a green tea latte. Not bad and felt soooo gourmet. Just be warned about the green tea latte - extremely matcha-y and borderline bitter. The cafe immediately made me feel like I was in the cafeteria of a Japanese college; the tiny space was packed with young Asians and the non-Asians who love Japanese culture.
Kinokuniya is a lot hipper than I expected; there's t-shirts, tiny whoozits and whatzits (toys) and yah, there's a few Naruto costumes too. Girlfriend was totally into those but shhh.. I already made fun of her for you.
I tell my friends this is "Scenic Zaiya" whereas the main one on 41st and Madison is "better selection Zaiya".
If you've never had it, try the Green Tea Pudding, it is fantastic, worth the $3.00 a pop.
Also, if you get a tea pot, you can ask for a hot water refill from the cashier and they'll give it to you free. I even got a 2nd refill once while hanging out with a friend... no dirty looks, but I felt bad and bought another cookie set.
I love Kinokuniya just because of its existence.
It's a Japanese/English bookstore that's three stories tall and has a cafe on the top level. It really brings me back to some fond memories of Japan and bookstore browsing.
I'm of the school of thought that you can probably find anything you need here, including some things that you probably didn't need. (I'm looking at that rooru keiki book I bought two days ago).
The staff is alright. I prefer the Japanese staff because they're serious about the bookstore and know where things are. The other staff work there I think because they want to learn Japanese or something.
I asked someone where the Cooking section was and they turned to their right and started asking another employee where it was with a strained "Anoooooo... Kukkiing" and I cut in there and rescued him from further butchering the Japanese language. (Seriously, you work in a bookstore and you don't know where the Cooking section is?)
When I checked out at that same register where the afore mentioned employee was working, I asked someone if it was a requirement to know at least a little Japanese to work here. It was more of a thought out-loud than a real question, so I guess that's why she didn't answer me. Then, after hearing afore mentioned employee next to me struggling to read some hiragana with an equally struggling customer, I asked something along the lines of "do people always try to speak Japanese" and she didn't answer me, which I thought was weird. Especially since I said it in a happy/cheerful/empathizing kinda way.
Either way, I truly felt transported to Japan when I was in Kinokuniya and was brought right back to New York when I stepped outside, almost regretfully. The store is very neat and organized with nice little feature sections (there was a "bento" new and featured area), but you should definitely go upstairs for the yummy-smelling cafe and Ghibli stash and downstairs for the stationary, bento, and Japanese hobby magazines and books.
Adorable little store. The best source for finding Japanese books, CDs, cute paper and gifts. Even though I cant read Japanese (yet) Its still fun to wander on in here and take a look around. There is something that will gain your interest, whether its a book or little cute stuffed animal.
I love looking at all the packaged magazines too, they are expensive because they have been imported but I love how each comes with a little suprise.
I love this store. It is a vast and beautiful thing. I don't live in New York so, sadly, trips here are often rabid bursts of speed-shopping, trying to take everything in in too short a period of time, elbowing out of the way any small children who dare to get in between me and the Rilakkuma notepads and rolls of matryoskha-printed decorative packing tape.
Kinokuniya is a one of a kind store in New York City. Located right across Bryant Park, it consists of three levels that overlook the park. The store is all about Japanese Culture, Media, and Products.
Although most of the products, books, and manga are considered overpriced when compared to other stores, many products here can't be found anywhere else. For example, there is a foreign magazine section that sells cheap Gothic Lolita Bibles imported from Japan.
The basement mainly consists of Japanese Language books, and stationary. The main level is very diverse, and the top floor is devoted to manga. There is even a cafe located on the top floor, so you can drink something after a long day of shopping.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/9/2009
This book store focuses on all things Japanese. The first floor of the store sells mainly books,… Read more »
We used to go there to pick up Japanese text books, but always came home with Japanese pop culture toys. There's this American dude who speaks really fluent Japanese, always helped us a lot. Pricing is crazy high, but since they have little less competition in town, I guess what they charge is normal? I also picked up some nice coffee table book of Japanese gardening and archtechts. Highly recommended if you are in the area.
If you've ever been to Japan or are interested in Japanese culture, you probably already know that this is the best place in town to find all the best Japanese books. Language books, manga, Japanese novels, toys, and nick nacks like quirky pens and notebooks. They even have wrapping paper and other stationary type stuff downstairs, and a large selection of magazines.
If you're hungry for your Tokyo fix, this is the place!
When I shop at Kinokuniya I feel like I have somehow been transported back to Japan.
I cannot seem to leave the stationary and art supplies section without spending the better part of an hour looking at wonderful paper and drawing implements. You can get mechanical pencils with .3 mm lead (.3 mm lead available from 2B to H, and in different colors), sketchbooks with super high quality paper for cheap, and tiny notebooks for less than $2. There are a lot of very cool and extremely expensive things as well.
The selection of books on art and design (mostly upstairs) is GREAT. A relatively large percentage of them are worth paging through, and there are plenty in English. The selection of English language books on the main floor is also good for browsing. If I had a better working knowledge of Japanese, I would probably really enjoy the rest of the vast array of books and periodicals in the store.
The cafe upstairs is a lovely place to sit and drink tea. The cafe is run by Cafe Zaiya, which also has a storefront on 41st St east of 5th Ave.
If you are interested in Japanese culture and/or are looking for a peaceful place to have tea in midtown, visit Kinokuniya. The staff, store design and products for sale are all fantastic.
This place is amazing. It spanks the ass of the one we have in Los Angeles and Costa Mesa, CA.
IT IS THREE FLOORS!
More J-pop art type accessories and shirts. I bought this really cool Pac Man tote bag. They ahve a great assortment of those "kawaii" things that make the nerds come. I sure did. :D
The manga selection is HUUUUUGE! omg. I almost cried.
They also have great toys and collections there.
Their stationary section is wonderful....I was overwhelmed, because there was sooooooo much I wanted to buy it drove me nuts.
They have a cafe upstairs.....I was just in heaven. Wonderful Beautiful place. When I visit New York again. I WILL GO THERE AGAIN! :D
What is there not to like when one comes to Kinokuniya?
Easily my favorite store when it comes to Japanese books and culture. The selection of the manga, stationary, CD, and novels are so vast, you would find yourself browsing the store for quite awhile. They also sell clothing with cute looking designs.
I'm the Final Fantasy fanatic, and Kinokuniya sells many FF collectibles such as toys, posters, etc. Gahh! And to top it all off, a cafe right on the second floor!
A store I highly recommend to those into Japanese culture!
I used to work around here 2 years ago, at a Jamba Juice nearby, and I never noticed there was one here! The first Kinokuniya I went was in Palisades Center in NJ, and it was small and did not have as much as they did in this store. Three floors is amazing! They have many import books and toys. I personally go to these stores to find polymer/paper clay instruction books, and they have a WIDE selection of them. They listed every section of books in English so it wasn't hard to find and the people were very helpful.
The cafe was nice, it was small and tidy. They had really great desserts there and I enjoyed sitting there, I think it's an okay place to have a meeting with clients. They also have bathrooms on the first floor which is very convenient.
My favorite, a huge Totoro...oh my lord, I almost cried when I saw it. It was probably like 200 dollars or something.
To finish off my adventure in Kinokuniya, was the white girl cashier saying the price to me in Japanese. Well, I'm not Japanese (she thought I was) but I am quite impressed that she could do that and so well mannered. Good for her! I guess everyone has to know some Japanese to work there, or she picked it up. It was cool.
Oh I went today where the dude that made One Piece the movie I think was there to sign autographs. They showed the whole One Piece movie there, that was awesome too.
OMG kawaii overload!!!
Love the downstairs stationary selection. Rows and rows of notebooks with colorful covers (Pantone code identification included), shelves and shelves of plastic folders with some variation of kitty or Parisian/French or huge smiling unidentifiable animal motif, rows of pencil cases in soft taupe and flowers, fuzzy purses and identification card holders, etc. And then there are the pens, graphite in 10 different colors, magnets, erasers that almost look edible in the form of sushi, etc.
I live in SF, and I don't think we have as extensive of a stationary selection in Japantown. LOVE THIS PLACE. This place reminds me of Japan: the prices (yup!), the way the cashier handles your payment and receipt, the interesting mottos and slogans on the stationary.
One star off for not carrying koyuko Color N' Code notebooks, although they carry an extensive amount of other koyuko stationary goods. I spent about a half hour browsing through everything and eventually picking out a $8 pair of chopsticks that exemplified Japanese obsessions as much as possible: variations of a black cat wearing a red cape eating baguettes in what looked like Paris. Expensive, yes. But I bought them for the purpose of bringing my own chopsticks to restaurants... Do you know how many trees are sacrificed to make wooden chopsticks every year??!
Note: no refunds. Exchange only within 7 days with a receipt.
I love Kinokuniya. I think I may like this one here in NY even more because a cafe is in the top floor. There was a very cool Vagabond display with artwork from the artist Takehiko Inoue and Takezo and Matahachi were on the walls! Great selection of manga and books, I'd recommend if thats what you're looking for.
While they do probably have the best selection of Japanese books, magazines, stationary needs, etc in the city, the stuff isn't cheap. If you need a gift this is definitely one place to look!
Most of the time, I go to Bookoff for my Japanese literature fix because
A. it's cheaper
B. I'm from ptown which makes me a sucker for used bookstores
But, Kinokuniya is worth going to just for their ridiculously amazing stationary area downstairs. I am a snob when it comes to writing utensils, and this is where I get my juicy purple fountain pens, Dr. Grips, and the 0.25 mm Hi-Tec pens, making me the envy of my med school class.
Oh yeah, and their upstairs cafe is pretty cute. You can get zaiya bentos and cakes, and tea in little teapots.
This place is so deceiving from the outside! You think that its going to be some small bookstore with a few cool things here and there--
WRONG!~
This place is Huge, three stories to be exact! They have everything you could ever want or dream of from Japan!!
1st floor--Japanese Magazines (huge selection) Always current! ; Many English translated Japanese Books; Calendars; Clothing; Trinkets, etc.
Up the escalator in the back takes you to the 2nd floor--which houses all of the music and movies some Art books and CAFE ZAIYA!!! They have a great seating area and the Cafe offers Onigiri, sandwiches and best yet--Papa Beard's cream puffs!!~ On special occasions they bring in some semi famous Japanese singers who also give performances up here!!
The bottom floor has all of your school supplies, how to books, Japanese learning necessities, and some traditional gift stuff--they also have Japanese books in the back!!
I can honestly say I have spent 4+ hours here at least twice!!~ This place is one of my fave rewind spots in the city--
Grab a book and just relax in the Cafe which overlooks Bryant Park-One of the many great places you have to check out in New York!!~
This is my happy place. I've always been a huge fan of kawaii japanese stationery things, and this store is a treasure trove of cute characters, pens, pencils, folders, and of course, manga. If I ever have a bad day, you'll probably find me here, selecting my next additions to my ever-growing pen collection.
The tee shirts are soo cute here!
Everything is really expensive, so don't expect to skimp out on money.
The bookstore upstairs has soo much manga. They're all individually wrapped so you can't read it (darn it)!
There's a little cafe also. They make good rice balls and strawberry short cake (among others I haven't tried), along with lunch specials and different types of drinks :)
There's stationary items, bags... random cute things!
SQUEEEEEEEEEEL.
This store is awesome!
I think it's safe to say this store is the mecca for all things anime and manga. Even if you're not into those things, it's a great bookstore. Don't forget to check out the basement, too, for stationary and other cute Japanese chachkas.
A Japanese bookstore grand enough to warrant escalators? Sold. Kinokuniya doesn't just help you kill time - it does the job for you. You wander in looking for a single book, and you're bombarded by the massive selection, then by the panda bears and lunchboxes and stickers on top. I've spent more time sitting like a hobo in the cookbook aisle than I'd care to admit and am well acquainted with the voice that announces closing time. Prices are not great, and if I'm looking to buy something I can find at Asahiya, I'll make my way over there with my club card. Still, Kinokuniya is a great bookstore and the absolute tops for Japanese browsing.
this place is amazing. if you like anime, asian art, design .. so much more, really .. this book store is great even if you don't read japanese..
i was amazed by the graphic design and architecture sections .. really puts most american book stores to shame... and on top of all that, they sell gloomy bears!
I love Kinokuniya Books! I had concerns when they moved from their old Rockefeller Center location, but to see it now, this is definitely a major upgrade! If you're into Japanese culture like I am, this is a great resource for the selection of books on offer. They have everything from graphic arts and design to manga to business. All manner of Japanese magazines are on the first level as well as a solid selection of English books towards the back. The majority of the Japanese books are in the basement where there is also a wide variety of stationery products. To top it off, Cafe Zaiya is on the second floor overlooking Bryant Park; it's a great space to relax from shopping and it even acts as an events space from time to time. It's never too quiet here which is the beauty of Kinokuniya as people are always coming and going into the cafe and teenage manga readers are roaming around the comics section. This is not just a bookstore, it is a destination spot. All in all, if you can't make it to Tokyo, go to Kinokuniya Books to get a glimpse of Japan!
I don't speak Japanese, so...
PROS:
-a seriously ludicrous amount of english manga, including yaoi stuff
-lots of imported CDs
CONS:
-a majority of stuff here is in a language i don't speak
ETC:
the manga destination in NY. also a large selection of imported anime/j-pop/j-rock/j-whathaveyou CDs. the DVDs here are super pricey and can be gotten elsewhere for cheaper: Image Anime . lots of cool stuff to look at on both floors even if you don't speak japanese. genuine painting by mangaka Takehiko Inoue on the wall upstairs completes the feeling that you've stepped out of NY and into the land of the rising sun.
i hate yaoi, btw. do not take that as an endorsement.
By downright, the largest, most comprehensive Japanese bookstore in the United States I have ever been to. If you can't find something from Japan in here, you must be looking for actual Hokusai woodblock prints - because this place has it all.
Music, books covering nearly any subject, the stationaries... OH THE STATIONARIES!!!!! */ahem* I'm asian. I can't help but drool over such things. I was raised in the culture of it all.
The staff are very friendly and courteous to your needs, requests, anything short of a foot massage and some sake. This is the place to be. And if any of you are intimidated by any pretense of a language barrier, don't be alarmed. Almost all of them speak fluent English, and many are willing to tolerate your attempts at Japanese from your two years of Japanese in college. At the very least you'll get a cute smile out of 'em.
Don't forget of course, that if they for some ungodly reason don't have what you're looking for, they will be more than willing to place and order for you to pick up some other time.
Also keep in mind of their online store @ http://bookweb.kinokun..., if you just don't feel like going there. Their online catalog, from my experience, is just as comprehensive as what they have in stock at the retail bookstore.
I need to fly back here...
I came here looking for Hayao Miyazaki literature/art books/dvds and was absolutely blown away by all of the products available here in one store. Not only that, but this place has a massive selection of all things Japanese literature-wise. Only con was I left with a much thinner wallet.
Konnichiwa!
Amazing selection of Fashion magazines and books, I tear them apart for inspiration.
You'll also find some really cool trinkets to bring home and because I'm weird I go crazy for the I Love New York T-Shirts in Japanese and miniature Domo-Kun's (he really bows!).
Find me in here any day searching for some rare gem to add to my little treasure collection.
This place is great! It's got a massive selection of books in english and japanese. Quite a huge selection of dictionaries for the english speaker learning japanese and also vice-versa. Lots of movies, manga, anime, magazines, stationary....um...and probably everything else you might expect a big book store to have. They definitely cater to a native japanese, but also have lots of things for english speakers (and those trying to learn japanese).
There is also a nice cafe/restaurant upstairs (which I haven't tried, but I hear is quite nice).
I go here for all my japanese language learning needs (books, flashcards, testing/prep materials and also to check out some movies and manga too
Excellent even compared to book stores in Japan. Well, Kinokuniya stores in Japan are also known for having a much larger stock of foreign books compared to other book stores as well. Their manga section is definitely comparable to bigger book stores in Japan, and they have a cafe adjacent too it, which is nice. They have other crafts and clothing that you could buy, as well as run-of-the-mill English books and other hobby/interest books and learning books.
I mostly love their selection of Japanese novels. The novel glory days being long gone, it's probably harder to find novels in book stores in Japan. Although it sucks that everything is basically $2 more than what you could get in Japan, that's just the way it is with them being imported.
I have always loved this store ever since I went to its former location 10 yrs ago. Japanese books, magazines, music, anime, manga galore! And even cute tshirts (some anime, some just cute Japanese stuff) to pick from. I love their J-pop piano sheet music collection. And if you get hungry from spending the entire day here, they have a little cafe area where you can grab a quick drink and a snack.
I bought some tshirts and a Japanese fashion magazine with Namie Amuro on the front cover. It came with free slippers.
This book store is a hidden gem. When it first opened, no one knew about it...I been eyeing this store since they started building the place and when it finally opened, I feel in love!!! You might be lost in translation if you don't speak Japanese, but you have eyes to see all the awesome material they have in inventory.
All the material on the 1st floor are written in English ranging from: fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, magazines, crafts, fashion, travel, and art with a majority of Asian authors.
Downstairs in the basement ,(***drum roll***) is where the magic is. I don't even speak Japanese and I LOVE going down there. There are books I wish I could understand like the Japanese cookbooks/pastries and crafts :( I did buy a couple of Japanese craft books but just had to follow the pictorial instructions. I have a total infatuation with Pens and you will not be disappointed with their inventory! I turn into a little girl in a candy store drooling over the gel pens! The Japanese stationery adjacent to the pens are a little girls dream - I wish I was in elementary school again so I can show off all the cool pens, paper, pencil cases, plush dolls, stickers, notebooks, etc., I can get from this store. They also got tons of origami paper...It makes me want to make paper cranes all over again.
Don't forget to head on up to the 2nd floor where you can find cool graphic design textbooks, dvd/music, anime and photography books. If you start smelling coffee and food, there is a mini Cafe Zaiya situated in the 6th avenue direction. People have found my hidden lunch spot because during peak lunch hours, this mini-spot gets packed. You can hardly find a place to sit or they may run out of food. So it can be a hit or miss depending on the time you decide to head on up there.
Don't miss your opportunity to be wowed by Kinokuniya - enjoy!
If I new how to reed, this wuld be my favrit book store! -Charlie (Flowers for Algernon).
Love the new store!!! Hands-down to the easy-to-find signs and neat organization.
If you're learning Japanese, like me, they have almost every kind of study materials that you'll ever need -- from English versions to Chinese and Korean versions, to JLPT study materials. There are so many titles to choose from and I had to ask the staff if she had any recommendation. She picked out a few for me right away and she definitely seemed to know what she was doing.
Hands down... as many other reviewers say.. that this place is great in terms of book selection. Different from their older location, on the first first they carry books that covers not only Japanese books, but books on SE Asia, China etc. Some cookbooks or travel books, Fashion books.Trinkets next the cash registers and magazines nearby, On the basement, there is stationary, Studio Ghibli products, art supplies. There's also a small Children section. There's also a large Japanese language section. On the second floor, there is a large selection of CDs, and graphic novels.
Cannot take pictures in the store.
Warning though, Cafe Zaiya is slightly more pricer here than the Cafe Zaiya nearby Bookoff. Things do get sold out here, as this is a tourist destination, and the classy atmosphere of enjoying coffee while reading a book is nice.
As a pen and notebook geek, I love their selection of fine point pens not normally available in the US. While they're slightly more expensive than online alternatives, it's great to head down to the basement and give them a try!
A bookstore that caters specifically to the Japanese clientele. It's three floors of a selection on stationery, office supplies, Hello Kitty and other Saniro characters, photography books, and Japanese magazines. The security guard is rather racist as he did not want to assist clients who are Westerners or non-Japanese decent. I asked the security guard for the store's business card which he pretended to not speak English and ignored without attempting to provide customer service by walking away.
Upon payment the changed is returned to clients in traditional Japanese fashion on a change tray rather than in clients' hands. Their magazines reminded me of my trip to Tokyo, Nikko, and Gunma in 2005.
Service is rather okay as I've requested a business card of the shop for my collection which the staff completely ignored me or brushed me off. A Japanese bookstore that favors their own ethnic group and are not too friendly or helpful to non-Japanese, like myself.
This Kinokuniya location has multi levels and a large selection of Japanese books, a small selection of Hello Kitty, animate products plus cute Japanese chachkas.
Don't judge me but my favorite part of the store may be the basement. What's in the basement, you may ask? Well, there's a buncho f japanese books but that's not why I like it. I'm in it for the stationary. I'm a little bit obsessed with nice stationary and here...oh gosh. Walls of it. They carry the cutest little flashcards, (mushroom duck and bird shaped!!) and really nice pens and pencils. Oh god the CUTEST erasers too! They have little sushis and other cute ass designs. I know I wouldnt ever be able to bring myself to use them. Love teh pencil cases too! Sure it's overpriced. Sure you could just go to staples and get 72 pencils for the price of one here. But why would you want to?
Ok moving up one floor. On floor 1 you have a bunch of asian literature, a huge collection of japanese magazines, and some clothes. You will spend a lot of time looking at the mags, trust me. The fashion over there is insane! You will want to buy said magazines. You will see that they cost about $8 each. You will cry. you will buy them anyways.
On the second floor this is where you find the cafe and fobs. DVDs, manga (in both english and japanese) and random books that nobody looks at. I haven't tasted anything from the cafe yet but it all looks yummmy.
I wish I could buy everything in this store.
They have a huge selection of Japanese & English books, adorable trinkets, stationary, and some clothing. If you're interested in Japanese culture this is a good place to start.
I prefer not to wander the aisles looking for books unless I'm killing time. I usually forget at least one book and have to go back so now I just order them. I make a list of books I want and email them. Also, if a book isn't in stock they'll happily order it for you. Takes about 2-3 wks. Once they have all your books, they send you an email that they're at the register. Walk right in, go to the register and done - It's so convenient. A tip for us busy NY-ers. ;D
You can email them at nyinfo@kinokuniya.com
It's also a good meeting place as Cafe Zaiya is on the second floor. Do a little shopping, sit down, have some tea and pastries.
They also have a clean restroom on the first floor. They're hard to come by in that neighborhood.
The one thing that bothers me about Kinokuniya are groups of customers who stand around in the narrow aisles or block them completely and endlessly debate about anime/manga/J-pop. You're forced to listen to their conversation when you shop as the music is very low. Another reason why I began ordering my books via email. Guys, there's a time and place to do that, and it ain't Kinokuniya. ;)
This is such a hip bookstore. I love the fact that they have an upstairs cafe where you can read while drinking a cup of tea. Lots of great books also!
Wow, I loved the old store but the new location is AMAZING! A much nicer atmosphere, selection, and location in general.
Still, a bit pricey, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to feed my need for cute and quirky stuff!
Also, if you are local and want to know what's going on, become a fan on Facebook for event notices! Really nice way to get info.
