Ghost Palace Books – Thomas, West Virginia
Perhaps fittingly for its name, Ghost Palace Books in Thomas, West Virginia, opened its doors on Halloween 2020. The independent bookshop, café, and small publishing press is a worker-owned cooperative located in the town’s small, eclectic and bustling business district, surrounded by restaurants, boutiques and galleries.
But as the town of Thomas’s stature as a tourist destination has grown (it’s a popular draw for outdoor enthusiasts and located near attractions like Canaan Valley Resort and Blackwater Falls State Park), one thing was missing: a bookstore. So owners Jen Iskow, Ian Hirsch, and Al Schneider rectified that.
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While the shop, located in an old house, is small, the selection of books is impressive.
“It’s a blend. We have new books and used books,” Al says. “We’re getting a lot of donations, we seek things out, and we have a connection with a bookseller in Charleston who sells books as Homeward Bound Books. We have some of his books here as well.”
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The selection spans the bulk of the first floor, with an additional room of used books upstairs, along with a sitting area for reading, working, and enjoying items from the attached café, which offers a selection of house-made pastries and coffees.
“Everything is made from scratch,” Al says, “including the pastry dough and our ricotta cheese.”
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A unique component to the shop is a riso printer, which functions like a photocopier mixed with a screen printer. The shop prints zines, books, and art using soy-based ink.
As COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift, and summer sets in, business at the shop is picking up after a slow start.
“It was slower than it probably would’ve been,” says Al of opening during the pandemic. “There was a lot of anxiety about is it okay that we’re opening, are we being safe? I think there was just a lot of uncertainty before about what’s okay to do. You want to be caring and safe for other people in your community.”
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If the activity I witnessed during my overnight visit to the town (and two trips to the shop) are any indication, Ghost Palace Books has been embraced by its neighbors and should have a bright future in Thomas.
Ghost Palace Books is open Thursday through Sunday and is located at 82 East Avenue (Front Street) in Thomas, West Virginia.