Windows on Warren: A Look Behind One Bookstore’s Adorable Storefront
October 27, 2026
When Words on Warren opened at 52 Warren St. last fall, it blessed the neighborhood with a true local spot for little book lovers. Owned by longtime Tribeca local and mom of three Jean S Maung, the space is whimsical and welcoming for kids of all ages and reading levels. The well-decorated reading nooks are a particular draw, replete with colorful bookshelves, comfy couches and stuffies of favorite literary characters. But the charming playfulness isn’t just contained to the store’s interior. Passersby are treated to an everchanging storefront display, featuring favorite children’s book characters, colorful seasonal scenes and other artistic delights. The storefront windows brighten the block, and do a sensational job of drawing readers into the space.
Words on Warren’s sensational window displays come courtesy of Jess Lyle, the store’s creative director and assistant manager. Lyle, an illustrator and children’s book creator in her own right, designs the monthly displays, which often involves collaborating with visiting authors to highlight characters and scenes from their works. A recent storefront, for instance, prominently featured Fritz, the hat-wearing chanterelle from “Fritz: A Mushroom Story,” Kelsey Garrity-Riley’s popular book for three-to-seven-year-olds. For another author, Lyle designed and built a replica of France. Other storefront designs center around seasonal themes, like the Christmas holidays or Halloween, all while showcasing some of the literature shoppers will find inside the store. No matter the theme, the windows are always creative and engaging.
“Whenever we have a window for a new book release, it always draws in customers,” Lyle said. “People come in asking, ‘Can I see the book in the window? I would love to take a look at it.’”
Lyle works in tandem with fellow illustrator and bookseller Jacky Chokpapon — with whom she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology just a few years ago — to handcraft the art, which includes cutouts, 3D elements and a lot of hot glue. The duo have reserved a corner at the front of the shop where customers can watch them work their magic with craft supplies. Even though working in-shop has some downsides (“There’s a lot of paint on the floor,” Chokpapon admitted) it’s also its own form of advertising. “When we’re painting, it can draw in a lot of people, especially kids,” Lyle said. “They’ll come up and stare at me through the window.”
To Lyle, the windows function as a form of public art, engaging regular customers and Tribeca and Lower Manhattan residents who might not yet have had a chance to check out Words on Warren. “It’s so fun to incorporate the community, and it makes everything feel a little bit more special, because we’re such a hyperlocal bookstore,” she said. “The community down here is really supportive of us, and we love having everyone in here.”
Right now, you can check out Words on Warren’s Halloween display, complete with black cats and pumpkins. And keep an eye out for Lyle and Chokpapon hard at work through the window; it’s almost time to debut next month’s artistry.
