Larry Gagosian, the world-renowned art dealer, has purchased BookHampton, an independent bookstore in East Hampton, after its original owner put it up for sale last fall. In an interview for CULTURED's new column "Required Reading," Gagosian discusses his reading habits, his plans to maintain the store as a community hub while expanding its art and design offerings, and shares his personal summer reading list, which includes biographies of Douglas Cooper and Albert Barnes.
This acquisition matters because it signals a prominent art-world figure's commitment to preserving a local cultural institution in the Hamptons, a region heavily associated with the art market. Gagosian's move also highlights the ongoing tension between independent bookstores and online retail, while his plans to bolster art and design sections could further integrate literary and visual art communities in the area.