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I have a deep abiding unholy love of books and places to procure them. And of indie soulful non-corporate ventures. And of places that attract many stunning queer type wimmin. The best combo of all possiblities...
I wish Malaprops could get ten stars.
During the day it tends to get more tourist types. The night events attract the type of folks I enjoy gazing at with longing.
This is one of my favorite indie bookstores ever..
I love this place.. it's one of the big reasons I make the drive from Kentucky to North Carolina. It's been 2 years since I've been and damn am I having withdrawals.
They've got a large travel book section, and a lot of Western NC books (hiking, nature, coffee table type picture books). Their cafe is pretty yummy too! Free wifi as well, and you can sit their with your coffee and laptop, and people watch for an afternoon. It was the first place I remember going when I visited Asheville, and it's one of the big reasons I considered moving there.
Dear Asheville: I have bookstore envy. In three days in your fine city, I think I wandered into Malaprop's every single one of them (the coffee helped). Sadly, I didn't see anyone reading with their dog (Yasuko's review got my hopes up here), but I was super-impressed by all the staff reviews and generally excellent selection. And by excellent selection, I mean limited, well-curated selection. If I want to sift through every book in Book Category X known to man, there are places for that.
If I had a Malaprop's in Atlanta, they'd get all kind of business from me because of all the detailed recommendations stuck in little bookmarks on every single shelf. Honestly, I'd give them a sixth star for that if I could - because awesome employees or no, as a customer, I want that intelligent, awesome indie bookstore feel, but as an introvert, I'd rather not have to strike up a conversation every time I want an opinion on a book. Thanks, Malaprop's!
I really like Malaprop's. You can find very unusual and interesting books and people. It is a great place for a coffee and to dream about all the books you would like to buy and read.
They often have book signings as well. It gives you a chance to meet and speak with the authors.
Good independent book shop...
Great selection of "green" cooking and other how to books..
Pretty extensive selection of travel books; they had a number of Vietnam travel books that Borders did not. (And a CD!)
They have a cafe where you can read through your purchases. (though you can't read through potential things to purchase, you have to buy first!)
I love Ashville....I wish I could live there. This book store, let your dog go inside of the store!!!! You can actually look around, sit down and read with your dogs.
Just know that the dogs are not allowed in the cafe area. The staffs are very friendly and will greet your dogs.
Excellent little indie bookstore in downtown Asheville. We spent the better part of our Sunday morning browsing the shelves - many of the books have little "shelf talker" book marks in them from staff who have read.
As I was reading the back cover of a Neil Gaiman book a staff member who was shelving walked by and noted it was a "great choice." We talked briefly about the rest of his books and I ended up with two books.
They also produce a really nice newsletter with staff suggestions and such.
Buy local!
What can be said about Malaprop's that hasn't already been said. The selection of books is fantastic for a small-ish store. Tons of interesting categories..like the famous banned book section. But also, tons of crafts, cooking, poetry and the like.
Also there's a cafe up front with really nice employees who serve up some great tasting coffee. The seating area here is probably one of the better people watching spots I've been to in Asheville. Not only is the cafe filled with nutballs..but you can see other nutballs walking by on the street.
It's an Asheville must-visit!
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When in Asheville, go to Malaprop's Bookstore.
If you are a bibliophile, then this is the place for you. There is something for everyone...from poetry to comic books. The staff is very knowledgeable and able to steer you in the right direction with great recommendations. My favorite place to look for new books is the "staff picks" shelves. There are sometimes bookmarks on which a member of the staff has written why they loved the book...a better blurb than anything on a dust jacket.
The cafe is wonderful. Coffee, tea and pastries...with a seating area to chat with friends or enjoy time alone with a good book.
They offer discussions and book signings with authors on a regular basis...a great way to connect with your favorite writers and discover new ones.
I love the place...and you will too. It's a great way to keep money in the area.
BUY LOCAL!
This is one of my favorite all time book stores ever in the world.
There. I've said it. I have unabashedly declared my love for Malaprops.
Funny.. the first place i remember going in Asheville is Malaprops. I knew I could live in this town because of this bookstore. 10 years later its still fantastic.
They have a great thing going. If you are a book lover this store is mandatory. The children's book section is a treat... they always have unique choices. They have a great selection of local writers. They have a wonderful and unique selection all the way around. The staff is super knowledgeable. I love the staff pic's section. I have found some of my favorite books ever on those shelves. Did i mention the poetry section? They have one- and not just what you find everywhere you go... lots of local poets. They also keep a pretty great event schedule. Off the top of my head? David Sedaris, Dorothy Allison, Rue McClanahan, Charles de Lint... there are about a million other greats i can't currently recall.
oh! AND they make a mean soy chai. Asheville is lucky to have Malaprops.
Fantastic independent bookstore in downtown Asheville! Full of knowledgeable staff who helped me figure out my way around downtown and where I might find a handmade North Carolina basket. Great selection of staff picks and summer reads:) I went for the coffee as well (of course). This was stop #5 on my tour of Asheville cafes. I rate it #3! Ordered a double tall mocha (hot). It was quite good! Great spot to chill out and relax with a book, paper, or magazine while enjoying a good cup of joe.
I wish I could spend a morning everyday of my life here.
Malaprop's is an adorable bookstore with an Asheville-hipster kind of feel. There's an indoor cafe, wifi, and plenty of books. I always love checking the Staff's Picks section and seeing the comments on little cards the staff members wrote. I always feel special picking out a staff-picked item, it makes me feel closer to a person I could relate to on some level. Friendly, funky staff that you'd expect in Asheville.
I love Malaprop's!
Malaprops is an Asheville staple, an independent and very stylish bookstore downtown. It is really integrated into the community, having author in-stores, autographed books, bookclubs, and other goodies.
On the down side, obviously it won't have the selection of a major bookstore. I looked for at least five different books that have been on my to-read-list and found zero of them. I ended up getting two cool calendars and a fridge magnet, none of which I could find at Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.
A decent portion of the selection caters to the Gay & Lesbian and the New Age crowds, as to be expected in Asheville. If that is your thing, you'll love this place.
On the plus side, Malaprops is open late and it has its own coffee bar!
An excellent bookstore with a quaint cafe. If you enjoy something other than the standard reading fare, you'll love their diverse selection of books. I personally read nonfiction (particularly biography) and they always have an impressive selection that is outside the mainstream. Great place to pick up an interesting read!
Great books and very good coffee. There is a large regional section, which also is the source of my only complaint. The regional *poetry* is scattered within the poetry section and not gathered in the regional section. But on the flip side, the poetry section is large and up front...
greatest bookstore you will ever visit in the southeast.
a unique independent place where you can definitely get lost and fall in love.
great selection, great snacks, great staff, great events. can't get much better
Great bookstore with funky vibe. Any book lover should pop in here as they wander around Asheville. Nice break from the humidity as well. They also have a wall where you can post events, outing and wanted things. Fun resource to look over.
Made this bitter, jaded Los Angeleno feel a bit of educated, cheerful Southern Hospitality. Found a great travel book and enjoyed a great chai tea. Forever in your debt...
Imagine how pleased I was to wander into Malaprops while at a family reunion in Asheville! As a lefty progressive-type who feels slightly out of place traveling in the south, Malaprops (and Asheville, really) is an island of liberalism where one could get pretty comfortable. I particularly liked the staff picks and memoir sections, and was happy to buy a bumper sticker promoting indie book stores. While the selection is a little limited based on space, I am more than happy to sing their praises. A must-stop if you're in the area.
Cute bookstore. They had lots of suggestions and "staff picks". I also like that they have author in-stores. The coffee bar was awesome and they had computers with free wi-fi with coffee purchase. I deducted one star because they don't have a huge selection, but they have a GOOD selection of unique and hard to find books.
I can always find my We'moon calendar here and I can always get a vegan latte...what more could you need.
I spent significant amounts of time here this summer while at the Bread Loaf School of English. What I consistently loved about Malaprop's was the cafe: interesting, reasonably-priced iced coffee drinks and large tables where you could sit for hours. I also really appreciated the local bookshelf; from just browsing it I learned a lot about the Blue Ridge mountains, its farms, and major attractions. I attended the Harry Potter release party here, and man, is Asheville the place to go to something like that! I haven't even read any of the Harry Potters and it was fun! Malaprop's has a great series of readings and events; my favorite was the pop-up book workshop. The posters in the hallway by the bathroom were also extremely informative. Sitting in Malaprop's, you can learn all about Asheville extremely fast.
Great place to lounge around and kill time, with coffee, books, or just people watching. One of a dying breed of small local bookstores. Enjoy it while it lasts.
A nice book store in the downtown area. It also has a good coffee shop.
love it. baked goods and coffee are not good, but not bad. the selection of books is excellent.
I have a hundred unread books at home, yet when I am downtown, I have to pop into Malaprop's, and once there, I can't leave without adding one, two, or three more to my collection. Malaprop's is one of those unique places that always has just the thing that you didn't know you needed, but having found, must have. Fantastic selection in a wide variety. Banned books, autographed books, strange reference books, foreign language books etc. are all here to be found. And once you have made your special purchase, you can peruse it while sipping assorted flavors of java. What Fun!
I love, love, love Malaprop's. People have commented that the selection is lacking, but I have always been pleasantly surprised by the variety in such a (relatively) small space (relative to B&N and that sort). The staff is knowledgeable, personable, sometimes quirky, and just really representative of the town (in my experience, at least). The author in-stores are varied, and even the non-book section (journals, stickers, magnets, pads, etc.) surpasses what you can find at many big chains. I really love it!
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