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By Jamie Ballard
As indie gift shops have become increasingly rare in New York City, the Juilliard Store, nestled between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue on West 66th Street at Lincoln Center, has not only endured but evolved into much more than a just a place for performing artists to buy sheet music. The store offers beautifully designed mugs, cards, puzzles, journals, funky socks, apparel, and other gifts, alongside a wonderful collection of books about the performing arts, including memoirs, novels, biographies, and how-tos about overcoming stage fright or managing the business of being an artist. Rainy? Chilly? Stop in for an umbrella or a beanie. Need a last-
minute birthday party gift? Find cute stuffies like the Juilliard penguin, or toys to get kids excited
about music.
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“I’ve bought children’s books for my nieces and nephews,” says Saachi Sethii, a Barnard student and singer who shops here often. “They love them.” And yes, the shop probably carries your kid’s piano music. Like much of Juilliard and the rest of Lincoln Center, the store welcomes both neighborhood regulars and out-of-town visitors, from professional musicians to those just beginning to explore the performing arts. In fact, it serves as a launching pad for lifelong learning, inviting people to step inside, discover new interests, and dive into learning, no matter their age or stage of life. (To inspire people from all walks of life to explore the arts, regardless of background, profession, or skill level, the Juilliard Store is hosting a Lifelong Learners’ Sale through Sunday, September 21. During this time, everything in-store and online at juillliardstore.com is 15 percent off.)
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The shop is also a beloved community hub, and for lifelong learners, it’s a place that sparks curiosity and discovery. Riley Palmer, a percussionist and educator, compares the shop to “a great record store, where you end up discovering things that might not otherwise be on your radar.”
The Juilliard Fall Festival, which kicks off the 2025/26 performance season from September 12 to 20, is a particularly good opportunity to get inspired—maybe to learn a new instrument, break out the old flute, or dive into some fascinating history, then visit the store to find what you need to get started. Students and professional musicians do still need physical music on paper, and for that too, the Juilliard Store is a treasure trove—as well as the last remaining sheet music store in NYC.Pianist and music director at the Church of St. Barnabas Jesse Goldberg treasures “my very colorful [sheet] music library… And that’s something that is missed with iPads.”
At the Juilliard Store, every purchase has a purpose. One hundred percent of the proceeds help fund scholarships for Juilliard students. With everything you buy, you’re supporting the future of the performing arts. If you love the arts, need a great gift, music for your performance, or just want to find something unexpected, the Juilliard Store at Lincoln Center is one of those rare New York gems that makes you glad you stepped inside.
