About
On April 4th of 2023, two friends met for a cup of coffee. One friend told stories about the incredible bookstores of New Orleans that she had just visited with her family. The other noted that their town did not have a bookstore and that she had long wanted to open one. They both wished for a place where young and old could gather around the written word—a place of magic and wonder that would inspire and bring people together from all walks of life. That very day, the two friends decided that it was impossible NOT to open a bookstore, and went looking for a home for their dream. A curious old house at 132 Locust Street in downtown Floyd, Virginia became that place. The Book House has thousands of books (used and new), stationery, art supplies and a unique selection of gifts and locally crafted items. Book clubs, poetry nights and classes offer the chance to gather and create. Given that the bookstore was born over a cup of coffee, The Book House café offers locally roasted coffee and tea for any who want to dream, chat and linger.
If you are a dreamer, come in
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er a pray-er, a magic bean buyer…
If you’re a pretender, come sit by the fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!
~Shel Silverstein
LEAH
Opening a bookstore has always been a pipe-dream of mine. It’s the perfect endeavor in that it allows me to do the things I love most: collect books, especially children’s books, and create a beautiful space for people to gather and be inspired. I daresay that I have an uncanny knack for bringing the unlikeliest of people together for a good time. Some of my favorite things are laughing, and making others do the same, adoring tiny things- the most recent being a miniature Zippo lighter found in my grandfather’s treasures, eating good food, and connecting deeply with others. My husband, four children, and I settled in Floyd seven years ago and live among our dogs, chickens, and goats (I hope to one day add a wombat to my pet collection).
Give me a book that reveals the dark underbelly of humanity and yet has a beautiful, redemptive story and I am satisfied.
KIM
I’ve been a writer and avid reader my entire life, and when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42, these things became a life-line for me during a terrible time. I adore my work as a family physician, but when I became a patient I gained a deeper understanding of all the forms that healing can take. Opening a bookstore has been a way for me to support the healing arts outside of the traditional clinical setting. Since cancer, I’ve been more willing to take beautiful risks (like starting an old-fashioned bookstore in a digital world), and count myself lucky to have friends and family who will take risks with me. The absurdities and surprises of life bring me delight (and anxiety), and fuel my curiosity and imagination. I love thinking about hard questions, seeking after a God who keeps breaking out of my tidy boxes, and hearing the stories of people old and young. Floyd is my favorite place in all the world, and I count myself lucky to live on Highland Farm with my husband, four kids and a large extended family where I do no farming, but dearly love the people who do.
