From Bookshelves to the Big Screen: The Timeless Legacy of "You've Got Mail" and Books of Wonder

Step back in time to 1998, when You've Got Mail captured our hearts and introduced us to the enchanting world of The Shop Around the Corner. Can you believe it’s been over 25 years since this classic film – and Franklin Fixtures – debuted in theatres?

In the film, the sweet independent children’s bookstore was based on the real-life Books of Wonder, located on West 18th Street in New York City. Director Nora Ephron chose to model the film’s indie store after Books of Wonder because she and her sisters had been shopping there since its opening in 1980.

To keep The Shop Around the Corner as authentic as possible, the set designers reached out to Franklin Fixtures to recreate the same fixtures they had made for Books of Wonder in 1986. This attention to detail brought the magic of the store to life on screen.

And that’s how Franklin’s fixtures became movie stars.

While the film portrayed a fictional struggle between an indie bookstore and a corporate giant, the real-life story of Books of Wonder is one of growth and community. Owner Peter Glassman has expanded the store several times, and it continues to thrive. Here's an excerpt from Peter's website about that exciting chapter:

In 1997, You’ve Got Mail was being directed by longtime customer and friend, director and writer Nora Ephron. She and her sister, co-writer Delia Ephron (another longtime friend and customer), had Books of Wonder in mind as the model for the children’s bookstore in the movie. To our surprise, one day a group of set designers descended upon us to ask if they could photograph, observe, and measure so as to recreate as well as possible our store on a sound stage. For the next two months, we were regularly visited by folks working on the film. Meg Ryan even spent a day working at the shop to prepare for her role in the film. And when it came time to arrange the books on the set, we were asked to send staff members up to assist so the film’s store would look authentic. When the film came out, we were delighted to discover the filmmakers had thanked us in the movie’s credits. To this day, people still ask, “Was this where they filmed You’ve Got Mail?”

And while it may not end up on the big screen with an A-list actor playing you, we want to be part of your story, too. We believe Independent Booksellers are the heart of healthy communities and make the world a better place. Ready to write your own chapter in the story of independent bookselling? Let Franklin Fixtures help you bring your vision to life. Contact us today to start your journey!

A thank you letter from the "You've Got Mail" production team, expressing gratitude for the generous contribution to the Fox & Sons Books set, dated May 1st, 1998, signed by Alyssa Winter, Assistant Set Decorator.