Geographicus Antique Maps

Highly recommended. As of now Geographicus is BY-​APPOINTMENT ONLY, not a walk-​in store, so be sure to call ahead before stopping by.
This is a great antique map business tucked away on the ground floor of a beautiful historic limestone house in Brooklyn. It’s located in newly-​hip-​about-​to-​get-​hipper East Bed Stuy, a 5 minute walk from the Gates Ave. stop on the J/​Z train.
Kevin the owner is friendly, passionate about his work, and very knowledgeable about antique maps. He has a great inventory covering not just the U.S. but all parts of the world. For example, he seems to have a better selection of maps from East Asia than a lot of American dealers out there. Don’t be shy about asking him questions and telling him what your interests are, as he’s happy to engage with anyone with a genuine interest in history and maps.
The online website is good for browsing and getting a general idea for what’s in the inventory, but it seems like there’s constant inflow of new inventory that’s not on the website yet, so not a bad idea to call if you are looking for something specific and don’t see it on the website.
SIDE NOTE: the great thing about old maps is that, not only are they beautiful, fascinating, rich with history, and all that good stuff, they make GREAT and unusual gifts. For people who really love a particular city or region of the world — because of their travels, family history, hobbies, or whatever the story may be – buying an antique map would not even occur to most of them, but most if not all of them would love it if they received one as a gift.
Now back to Geographicus. There are blocks and blocks of gorgeous brownstones /​limestones nearby, and good cafes (e.g. Chez Alex, Kava Shteeble, Manny’s) and restaurants (e.g. Saraghina, Khemistry Bar, L’Antagoniste, Peaches Hothouse). So locals and tourists alike can easily make a day trip out of it, in addition to checking out some awesome antique maps.
Geographicus used to be based in Manhattan and relocated to Brooklyn fairly recently, so last time I stopped by there’s no sign up yet, so there’s no way of telling there’s a map store inside unless, well, you already know. In a way, it’s like a secret speakeasy for antique map enthusiasts /​collectors «in the know», hidden in the garden level of someone’s lovely Brooklyn brownstone…
Which I find endlessly hilarious, given:
(1) the antique map world is esoteric enough as is, without über-​secret speakeasies;
(2) the idea of well-​heeled old white men (heavy majority of the clientele in the antique map world seems to fit this description) in suits, standing in a long line on the sidewalk… in BED STUY, all waiting to get in on a hoppin’ Saturday night;
(3) I know for a fact that Kevin the owner is actually a very good mixologist, and you might be able to coax a perfect Manhattan /​bespoke cocktail out of him if you spend a sh$tload of moolah on antique maps, OR ask him very very nicely.
Which just goes to show, if you ever visit Geographicus and buy something special there for yourself /​someone you love, give yourself a well-​deserved pat on the back and accept my sincere congratulations. You get mad props for enriching your life and expanding your horizons by doing something not found on ANY off-​the-​beaten-​path travel guide to NYC, and in the process, out-​hipping probably 99.9% of all über-​hip hipsters in Brooklyn … at least until the word gets out that Geographicus has relocated to their borough.