A renaissance of independent bookstores bodes a new age of writing, publishing, and reading in West Virginia.
written by Pam Kasey and Devin Lacy
photographed by Nikki Bowman Mills and Carla Witt Ford
Independent bookstores suffered a triple whammy in the late 20th century. The proliferation of mall chains like Waldenbooks started in the 1970s. Then came the big box stores, like Barnes & Noble, in the ‘80s. The ‘90s, of course, brought Amazon.
Some 4,000 independent bookstores were thriving across the U.S. when Amazon came on the scene. But all of the cheaper, more convenient ways for readers to get their fix proved appealing. By 2002, there were just 2,400—and by 2008, only about 1,600. When the Amazon Kindle e-reader, introduced around that time, put tens of thousands of digital titles at users’ fingertips, it seemed it would be the end of the corner bookstore. But a funny thing happened. The corner bookstore started bouncing back.
It’s true nationally, where indie shops have trended up since 2010: Today, the American Booksellers Association represents 2,600 independent shops. And it’s true across West Virginia, where two-thirds of the 20-some independent bookstores we have today, depending what you include in the count, opened in the past decade—at least eight of them since 2020.
So if your idea of a good time is browsing bookshelves, not screens, for your next favorite read—and if, rather than doing it in a brightly lit expanse with a huge parking lot, you prefer a cozy spot with quirky charm—your day has come.
What made this resurgence possible? It turns out online shopping and e-readers hurt the mall chains and big box stores, too—Waldenbooks is gone, and who remembers Borders?—and that left a void for mom-and-pops to fill. Plus, people are coming back to the tactile experience: A 2021 poll found that 68% of younger U.S. readers preferred print books.
Today’s indie shops are as individual as their owners and communities. Some have cafes, like Taylor Books in Charleston and Cicada Books in Huntington. Many sell both new and used, like Alexandria on Main in Elkins and Vigilant Books in Wheeling. Some occupy historical buildings—Four Seasons in Shepherdstown, among others—and others are part of larger retail markets, like Main Line Books in Elkins. There are pop-ups and mobile shops, too. And these booksellers aren’t just stocking shelves and reading behind the cash register—many of them champion banned books, offer book clubs, and promote local and regional publishers and authors.
Our indie bookstores are leading the way to a more community-based experience of reading and literature. Plan your next road trip around some of the shops in these pages.
BOOK THESE EVENTS
Shepherdstown Book Festival
SEPTEMBER 20–22, 2024
A Friday author panel is followed by a Saturday regional author and vendor fair, with book readings and signings at various locations throughout the day and children’s events on Sunday. 2024 featured authors are novelists Susie Dumond, Rob Rufus, and Vic Sizemore; non-fiction writers Dara Baldwin, Matthew Ferrence, and Josh Howard; poets Darius Atefat-Peckham, Willie Carver, and Jennifer Espinoza; and children’s book authors Alison Cinnamond, Lesley Younge, and Allen Wells. shepherdstownbookfestival.com
West Virginia Book Festival
OCTOBER 19, 2024
A free annual event for book lovers of all ages, the West Virginia Book Festival features programs by local and international best-selling authors, a used book sale, and a Festival Marketplace, all taking place at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center in downtown Charleston. The 2024 festival features novelist Joy Calloway, Gregg Hurwitz, Sadeqa Johnson, and Mia Manansala and graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang. wvbookfestival.org
Lewisburg Literary Festival
AUGUST 2025
Mark the first weekend of August 2025 now for next year’s free festival of visiting authors, writing workshops, book sales, musical entertainment, performance art, and more. The 2024 event included workshops on memoir, poetry, and cozy mysteries and, among the featured authors was David Baldacci, writer of 50 national and international best-sellers. @lewisburgliteraryfestival on FB
With the Banned
As the number of book challenges increases in the U.S., bookstores and their patrons are stepping up to support the right to read.
In 2023, more than 1,200 attempts to challenge reading materials targeted more than 4,200 unique titles, according to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom—the highest seen since data collection began over 20 years ago.
West Virginia has held fast with only a small number of challenge attempts in comparison to other states, but that doesn’t mean the work is done. Independent bookstores have become a haven for many as public and school libraries work to serve their patrons to their full capacity. Many bookstores and libraries will draw attention to the matter through book displays and events during the ALA’s upcoming Banned Books Week in support of the right to read.
Banned Books Week takes place from September 22 to September 28, 2024, and indie bookstores across the state are eagerly gearing up. Stores such as WordPlay, Four Season Books, and many more spend that September week promoting books that have been banned or challenged based on their content and themes. Cicada Books & Coffee even hosts the monthly “Banned Together Book Club” that focuses specifically on banned and challenged titles.
Luckily for readers, the best thing to be done is something they already excel at: reading and talking about books. Pick up a copy of a banned book at your local independent bookseller—or check it out from your local library—and tell your friends and family to give it a read, too. This not only supports the writers and publishers affected by book bans but increases circulation numbers and helps disseminate information and stories to those who need them. Visit ala.org/bbooks or stop by your local indie bookstore or public library in September to learn more.
Let’s go clubbing!
Grab your girls—and guys—for an evening of electric booktalk.
Avid readers know there is no greater joy than discussing a book with someone who just “gets it.” Book club is a long-existing tradition that is widespread and numerous, bringing readers from all walks of life together to bond over good reads. From official clubs set up by an indie bookstores to neighborhood get-togethers in friends’ living rooms, they— like books—are diverse, with something for everyone.
The Genre for You
If you’re looking for a book club to join, check out your local library or independent bookstore. Many offer genre-specific clubs for a variety of reading interests. Neighborhood groups are also popular, so ask around your community. None interest you nearby? Try a virtual book club or discussion group with members from all over the world. And Silent Book Club—a global group with chapters all over—offers meetings with a lot less talking, perfect for introverts.
Steering the Ship
The best book club for you? One you start yourself—if you’re up for the task. Talk to your local bookstore about starting a book community or an event space where you can have monthly meetings. Invite neighbors, friends, or colleagues—the app Bookclubs can help with communications. Host a planning meeting to introduce everyone, choose your first read, and make a timeline that works for everyone. Adjust as needed and have fun!
So. Much. Dialogue.
Book clubs aren’t just for former literature students. While club discussions can focus more on the thematic and narrative elements of a book, they should also include fun and engaging conversation for even the most surface-level reader. You might discuss world-building or character development or a scene you thought was funny. Having a few questions prepared to start the conversation is always a great idea, but don’t get too hung up on covering everything. The best conversations are the ones that flow naturally with everyone involved.
Independent Bookstores Matter
An interview with Dan Carlisle, owner of Taylor Books in Charleston.
Taylor Books is the granddaddy of independent bookstores in West Virginia. Counter to the persistent trend toward mall shopping when it was established in Charleston’s historic district in 1995, it anchored a downtown revival. Beyond its 15,000 book titles and its magazine selection, Taylor Books is an art gallery and cafe that hosts book launches, author talks, and live music.
Asked why independent bookstores matter, owner Dan Carlisle says they give a city character. He became a clerk at Taylor Books in 2009 and bought it in 2021. “We’re not beholden to a corporate office,” he says, noting that the employees of a well-known coffee chain, for example, don’t decide what coffee drinks to serve. “We get to make all of the decisions, including the books that we stock.”
For visitors, those decisions at Taylor Books and at all of Charleston’s independent shops and restaurants add up to the personality of the town, he says. “When people visit, those are things they’re going to remember.”
For locals, Taylor Books is a quiet retreat, a place to wander and reset on a break from work or downtown shopping, a third place for community meetings. And it’s a neutral meet-up space. “I’m pretty sure it’s a popular place for online dates to meet for the first time,” he laughs. “It offers an element of curiosity—you can ask someone what kind of books do you like? or what did you read as a kid? or walk around and point out something you think is funny.”
Asked how Charleston would be different without Taylor Books, Carlisle doesn’t hesitate. “For me, Taylor Books is the center of the world. Charleston would be like a big crater if it weren’t here.” It’s an institution the community feels a part of and proud of, he says. “People have had first dates here, proposals here, breakups here. It’s been so many people’s first job. I think it’s been a great comfort to the community.”
Appalachia Bound
Publishing houses and presses in the Mountain State.
BLACKWATER PRESS, Charleston
An independent publisher with an international team of editors, Blackwater Press of Charleston was established in 2020. Its catalog already numbers titles in the dozens, including works of fiction, nonfiction, essay, novella, memoir, and collected short stories. The publishing house’s blog entries—author and publisher insights into the books and the business of publishing—invite readers to be part of the community. Sign up for the monthly newsletter to receive customer perks. blackwaterpress.com, @blackwaterpresswv on FB
HEADLINE BOOKS, Terra Alta
Established in 1988 with a focus on nonfiction, Headline Books later added a fiction imprint, Publisher Page, and a children’s division, Headline Kids. It has published more than 560 titles. Headline Books’ hundreds of national awards include Mom’s Choice Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and Creative Child magazine Preferred Choice and Book of the Year awards. Its Zoom Into Books program livestreams authors into classrooms, libraries, book clubs, and more. headlinebooks.com, @headlinebooksinc on FB
MOUNTAIN STATE PRESS, Charleston
Mountain State Press is a nonprofit publisher that promotes writing in Appalachia, with an emphasis on West Virginia, by publishing literary works from throughout the region. Since 1978, MSP has published around 90 titles that hold appeal throughout Appalachia, the United States, and the world, offering talented writers an outlet and an opportunity to contribute to a regional voice. Follow the publisher on Facebook for author spotlights, giveaways, and more. mountainstatepress.org, @mountain.s.press on FB
POPULORE PUBLISHING COMPANY, Morgantown
Populore Publishing Company has guided authors through the publication process since 1995. Its early focus was the stories of “ordinary” people and, from its start in personal, family, and organizational histories, it has expanded into novels, nonfiction, poetry, and more. Populore helps authors with every aspect of self-publishing. Its staff brings a range of skills to book production, and its location near West Virginia University places a wealth of resources nearby. populore.com, @populorepublishing company on FB
WEST VIRGINIA BOOK COMPANY, Charleston
Publishing its first book in 1995, West Virginia Book Company has grown its catalog over the years to about 350 titles. Its wide-ranging offerings—everything from history, politics, folklore, and ghost stories to nature, tourism, memoirs, cookbooks, poetry, children’s books, and more—make it a onestop shop for readers, libraries, schools, and bookstores, especially for books of local interest. West Virginia Book Company prides itself on fast, friendly service. Check the website for books on sale. wvbookco.com
WVU PRESS, Morgantown
The only university press in West Virginia, West Virginia University Press publishes books and scholarly journals by authors from around the world with an emphasis on Appalachian studies, history, higher education, the social sciences, and interdisciplinary books about energy, environment, and resources. It also publishes fiction and creative nonfiction. WVU Press strives to enhance WVU’s reputation as a major research institution by publishing the best works in its areas of specialization. wvupressonline.com
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S FALL 2024 ISSUE
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