Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has bought and taken over a much-loved New York City book store.
The Drama Book Shop in Manhattan was being forced to leave its current location and was facing an uncertain future due to rent increases.
Miranda, along with his Hamilton collaborators Thomas Kail, Jeffrey Seller and James L Nederlander, stepped in to buy the business as well as its stock of 155,000 items from Rozanne Seelen, the widow of late owner Arthur Seelen.
As a teen, I went to the @dramabookshop on 47th. Spent hours reading plays. Felt made for me, a place to go. In 2002, I met with Tommy Kail in the Drama Book Shop. It gave us a place to go. Proud to be part of this next chapter.A place for you to go. https://t.co/LuRJjVM72K
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) January 8, 2019
The store will still close on January 20 but Miranda and his fellow buyers have promised to find a new spot for it.
Writing on Twitter, New York-born Miranda explained his decision to save the store.
He said: “As a teen, I went to the @dramabookshop on 47th. Spent hours reading plays. Felt made for me, a place to go.
“In 2002, I met with Tommy Kail in the Drama Book Shop. It gave us a place to go. Proud to be part of this next chapter. A place for you to go.”
Miranda also posted a picture of him and Broadway actor Christopher Jackson outside the shop in 2002.
The best part of this morning has been all your @dramabookshop stories. We love this place so much. Keep ‘em coming. https://t.co/6UK2rn7MgJ
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) January 8, 2019
The Drama Book Shop, in Manhattan’s Midtown, sells play and film scripts as well as musical scores.
Miranda staged an early version of his hit Broadway musical In The Heights in the shop’s rehearsal room.
The store is expected to relocate in the autumn. Miranda is one of Broadway’s biggest stars, thanks to the massive success of In The Heights and Hamilton.
He most recently starred alongside British actress Emily Blunt in Hollywood film Mary Poppins Returns.