It wasn’t as if I was in the Complete Traveller often. In fact I believe I made just one purchase there all the years it was open. At least I was able to see the place, unlike New York Bound Books, which closed after I had heard of its existence. I had found out about it during the time I was working at Macy’s a couple of blocks away from 2000-2004. The Complete Traveller (they spelled “traveler” archaically, but at lest they didn’t go far as spelling “complete” as compleat) specialized in travel books, as does Idlewild Books, but also in hard to find editions that could run a pretty penny. You didn’t go there to find something to read on the way home; you were a real travel maven or a serious book collector.
Though the store had existed before then, it was purchased in 1984 by Arnold and Harriet Greenberg, who owned and ran the store at Madison Avenue and East 35th until they closed it in 2015, as Mr. Greenberg was in his 80s and decided to retire. He passed away the following year. You may be familiar with his son Mike Greenberg, the sports TV host for ABC and ESPN.
The store still actually has an online presence, and I can browse its comprehensive collection of NYC and New York state books, as well as books describing worldwide locales. (Sadly, Forgotten New York The Book seems to be too new for them to carry!)
An expensive candy store, Michel Cluizel, took over the space (you didn’t go there for Hershey bars) but it, too, has succumbed.
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3/9/22