Bookstore Excursions: Staunton, VA
One of the recurring segments being introduced on iheartbookstores is a destination travel feature on places with high concentrations of bookstores, typically a small town rather than a large city. Articles will include a little bit of biographical detail on the location as well as information on local points of interest, places to eat and have a drink. Typically destinations will have three or more bookstores or booksellers within close proximity so that all can easily be visited in one day. This first entry looks at Staunton, Virginia.
Staunton, a city of 24,000+ residents, is nestled very nearly in the center of the Shenandoah Valley, stretching from Winchester in the North to Roanoke in the South. The area is easily accessible via Interstate 81 from the North and South or by Interstate 64 from the East and West. An entrance to the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway is located just East of Staunton. Staunton is 45 minutes from Charlottesville, VA, 1.75 hours from Richmond, VA, 1.5 hours from Roanoke, VA and 2.5 hours from Washington, DC.
Staunton, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Once the capital of what the British called the Northwest Territory in the pre-Revolution era, Staunton is named after a Lieutenant Governor’s wife, Lady Rebecca Staunton. My own family has deep roots in Augusta County, VA which was first settled in the 1720s, many of them Germans from Eastern Pennsylvania and Maryland. During the Civil War the Shenandoah Valley was a major transportation route for the Confederates and their campaigns there, until late in the war, were so successful that in the North it had the ignominious reputation of being the "valley of humiliation.”
Downtown Staunton
Barrister Books, Lawyers Row, Staunton
Today, Staunton is home to at least four independent bookstores, with five additional bookstores or booksellers within a 35 minute drive (see Ivy, Crozet and Harrisonburg, VA on The Map). Three of the four locations are within walking distance of each other in downtown Staunton, starting with Barrister Books at 1 Lawyers Row. Established in 2008, Barrister Books is housed in a pre-Civil War building that has been expanded, joined with other structures, and remodeled over the years into what owner, Anthony Baker, describes as a, "good fit."
The interior of Barrister Books has a somewhat spartan, but inviting appearance - no a hint of the mad bookseller jumble shop. The shop features open high-ceilinged spaces and perimeters lined with shelving. On offer are new, used and rare books, as well as curated book arts and paper ephemera items. Barrister Books can also be found on Facebook, where you can view many additional pictures of the store and ephemera merchandise.
Just around the corner at 1 E Beverly Street you'll find Black Swan Books and Music. A relative newcomer to Staunton, Black Swan is the offspring of a location of the same name in Richmond, Virginia. With soaring ceilings and large windows, the space is bright, airy and welcoming.
Black Swan's website appears to function as a landing page only, having no links to additional detail about the bookstore. Their Facebook page offers more pictures and event details, but is oddly named Swan Black Books. The store features live music performances in a large open and comfortable looking space. No details were available on the type of books they carry, but shelves look to be well organized and plentifully stocked.
You'll find The Book Dragon just a short walk away at 102 W Beverly Street. Another recent addition to Staunton's flourishing downtown area, The Book Dragon offers new and used books and a variety of non-book merchandise (see video below). The veteran-owned store has made good use of social media with a frequently updated Facebook page boasting plenty of pictures and information. You can also follow them on Instagram (@thebookdragonshop). The Book Dragon is a vocal advocate of both the shop local and indie bookstore movements and supports local authors and artisans through their store.
The Book Dragon, W Beverly Street, Staunton
Hop in your car for the short drive to The Avocado Pit Bookstore on the Western outskirts of town at 2621 W Beverly Street. Owners Andrew and Robin Gutterman are, by a good bit, the weathered veterans of the Staunton bookstore scene. Book dealers since 1986, they've operated brick-and-mortar locations in town since 2012 and in other locations dating back to the late 1990s. Areas of emphasis for this bookstore include art, military, hunting, Virginiana, technical, cookbooks and children's titles.
The Avocado Pit's website is utilitarian with e-commerce capability and detailed book listings. No evidence was found of social media use. BookTrakker, a widely used book inventory application, was developed by the owners of The Avocado Pit.
There are several more bookstores within about 35 minutes of Staunton, including Booksavers of Virginia and Downtown Books in Harrisonburg, Over the Moon and The Prime Meridian in Crozet and ABAA bookseller Jerry Showalter in Ivy, Virginia. Addresses and websites can be found on The Map for all of them. Be sure to call ahead as some welcome visitors by appointment only.
Anne Hathaway's Cottage
While visiting Staunton, you're likely to find yourself in need of food and drink. Options are plentiful, but a search of Yelp and Trip Advisor says that among the most recommended restaurants in town are Thai Staunton (1000 Greenville Ave), The Mill Street Grill (1 Mill St) and Zynodoa (115 E Beverly St). For those in search of a break with a beverage, try Ox-Eye Vineyards Tasting Room (44 Middlebrook Ave), the Shenandoah Valley Brewing Co (103 W Beverly St) or Queen City Brewing (834 Springhill Rd). There are other options to be found on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail map. Teetotalers will love the quaint Anne Hathaway's Cottage Tea Room (950 W Beverly St).
If you're planning on being in Staunton for more than a few hours, there are some additional attractions that might interest you:
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library 20 N Coalter St
Museum of American Frontier Culture 1290 Richmond Rd
American Shakespeare Center at the Blackfriars Playhouse 10 S Market St
Heifetz International Music Institute 107 E Beverly St
Camera Heritage Museum 1 W Beverly St
Oak Grove Theater 845 Quicks Mill Rd
Augusta County Historical Society 20 S New St
R.R. Smith Center for History & Art 20 S New St
Bruce A. Elder Antique & Classic Automobiles Museum 114 S New St
If you're planning on visting, Staunton, Virginia is host to several festivals that may interest you if you don't mind visiting at peak times. The Queen City Mischief & Magic festival, for fans of all things Harry Potter, will be held September 25 - 27, 2020. Merchants, vendors and entertainers turn downtown Staunton into Hogsmeade. For music lovers, the Staunton Music Festival will take place August 14 -23. Eighty world-class musicians perform daily free programs, as well as ticketed evening events.