Ghost Palace Books

If you want to support local folks and connections to local farms, look no further! Ghost Palace is worker-owned, so there is nothing "behind the veil". The shop has a curated and categorized room downstairs for mostly new books from a variety of publishers, from Verso, to Prickly Paradigm Press, to Tilted House in New Orleans, and far beyond. Near the register is a selection of hempy goods from Backbone Farms, the roatating selection of house-made baked goods, house-roasted coffee beans, and, of course, all the drinks available, including chai, fire cider, and the house-roasted coffee. Being your own cup for a discount! Upstairs is a lovely reading room with fantastic antique furniture, as well as a room of used books brought in from a partnership with a bookshop in Charleston, WV (Taylor, if I remember right) -- and their letter press pieces, which are a nice touch! Local art tastefully adorns all the corners of Ghost Palace.
I wish I could have come at a time when other foods were available (winter, blizzard, etc.), but that's ok because we had a great-as-usual chat with Al while perusing the selections on Appalachian culture and life, young adult fiction, social and political theory, arts and ecology, and comics. Wish I'd had more time to spend with the comics -- there is a good amount and variety, especially upstairs.
Definitely worth a stop!

What a lovely, friendly and thoughtfully curated shop. How refreshing to see people create a space that they want but that is and feels completely inclusive to all. The shop is smart and smells wonderful! My husband and I picked up tacos from their taco window, Picnic, out back...fresh, insanely flavorful and clearly made with care. An authentic experience in a world consumed by corporate chains and big box stores, the effort is so appreciated.

This bookstore is a diamond in the rough. I have heard that the person who creates the selections (Joe baby!) lives farther than Thomas itself, but he regardless takes the time and oh what a wonderful job he does. I found books that you will have difficulty even finding in NYC bookstores. I even found one persephone book! for those who do not know, that is a publishing house in the UK and they do not sell in the US, you need to find/order them directly from England. I was over the moon to find in the middle of WV wilderness.
That is not to mention the amazing staff, the wonderful chai latte and the great people who frequent there.
Highly recommended.

Excellent selection of books on contemporary philosophy and economic theory in an unpretentious environment. Lots of works of classic literature in the used books department upstairs. We need more places like Ghost Palace in this rapidly changing world.

Awesome Bookstore!!!!! Great selection, was so excited by this curator's taste which I found eclectic and interesting. Everyone was super nice and the tea was great! :)

Great bookstore with a deliberate and well-selected inventory of both used and new books. The ground floor in particular felt very well curated.

Incredible boutique book store, with a taco shop attached. Serve great coffee, and pastries also.

Incredible book selection with a strong sense of place, gluten-free pastries, and locally roasted coffee. Thank you!

Super cool book store with awesome people and tasty pastries and drinks. Love Ghost Palace!

My wife and I stopped in to see their selection. She found some exciting books and even bought a book set. I was hoping to jump into some science fiction but there was nearly nothing that grabbed me. As a former bookstore Manager, organization is key. As clean and open as it was, it was hard to determine what I was looking at. Especially upstairs, there are no categorized sections besides the staff picks. Just random books scattered around. You’re left wondering around hoping to find a treasure. We hope to stop at the taco shop the next time we are in town. Staff where polite. We noticed locals ordering books which was refreshing. As a dying industry, it so good to know little shops like this are still making it.

I'm ashamed that I even stepped foot in this place. The subject matter of the overwhelming majority of their books makes it apparent that the owners are Marxists who hate America. This bookstore would be better suited in some leftist community like Berkley, CA.