SARAH McNALLY
FOUNDER & CEO, McNALLY JACKSON BOOKS. NEIGHBORHOOD: SOUTH STREET SEAPORT.
Raised in a bookstore and drawn to New York’s spirit of self-creation, Sarah McNally grew McNally Jackson from a single shop into a defining literary institution across the city. In the light of the Seaport, she reflects on more than two decades of building community through books, and the women who come to New York to begin again.
After beginning her career in publishing, Sarah returned to bookselling to be closer to readers. What began as a single independent shop on Prince Street has grown into one of New York’s most respected literary institutions across eight locations. Each reflects Sarah’s vision—personal and unapologetically independent. “If you can trust your own taste, what you make will feel authentic, and people respond to that.” In a city where many independent bookstores have closed, McNally Jackson Books has expanded, proof for the power of self-trust.
Sarah is inspired by the women who choose New York. “Most people don’t leave the places they grow up. The women who come to New York come without their families and start fresh.” Her Seaport store, filled with light and overlooking the water, feels emblematic of that spirit. “It really is a privilege to be in a city where people make themselves and make what they want.” Moving between stores each day, she remains at its center—building something independent, her way.