Plot Twist Books is the indie bookstore partner for the December 2024 Literary Road Trip Box. Located in South Charleston, West Virginia, Plot Twist Books opened in March 2023. The bookstore is co-owned by booklovers Brian Mann and Matt Browning.
Before I tell you more about Plot Twist Books, I want to take a quick moment to note that although I've worked with several long-running indie bookstores, I've also worked with a few stores that have been fairly new, such as Plot Twist Books. The American Booksellers Association always highlights new stores that open around the country, but unless you're in the book industry, you might not realize how many have opened. During a normal shift at the bookstore, I usually get a few customers commenting on how "bookstores are dead." Owning an indie bookstore is a challenge and every sale really matters, but new indie bookstores are opening. Another comment that I often get from out-of-town customers is that they don't have a bookstore near them. This may be true, but I have made it a mission to ask where they are visiting from and many times, I have a recommendation of an indie store that is within driving distance of their home. This is all to say, that if you're not in the book industry, you might not have awareness of local bookstores or new indies that are opening.
Back to Plot Twist Books...
Plot Twist Books has a very unique feature that I have not seen with another bookstore. The store is located in a converted house and part of the house has been turned into a rentable studio apartment. The Bookshop Bungalow is more than just a rental home, it includes for those interested, a behind the scenes look at bookstore operations. The rental even includes bookstore credit for used books. This is the ideal vacation spot for a booklover or those interested in opening their own bookstore. Check out the airbnb listing for The Bookshop Bungalow.
Take a virtual tour of Plot Twist Books. I have not personal visited this store or West Viriginia, but the virtual tour is a fabulous way to experience Plot Twist Books from afar. I even spotted a QR code for recommendations from guests who have stayed in The Bookshop Bungalow! The store is absolutely charming and you should definitely take a look.
Matt Browning hosts a podcast that is aligned with my Books Inside Boxes mission to promote indie bookstores. The podcast is called Bookstore Explorer and he speaks with indie bookstore owners from around the country. Some of the bookstores that I've worked with for Books Inside Boxes have also been featured on Browning's podcast, such as Skylark Bookshop in Missouri, Pete & Freddy's Pages Aplenty in Indiana, and Ferguson Books & More in North Dakota. Browning interviews authors, as well as bookstore owners for his podcast. You should listen to them all, but I want to point out the episode with Danny Caine, co-owner of the Raven Book Store and author of How to Resist Amazon and Why. I read Caine's book when I first became a bookseller and it was eyeopening, truly a big part of why I started my book box company. Also, Browning has a fabulous interview with the CEO of Bookshop.org....just great content, go subscribe to the Bookstore Explorer podcast!
Plot Twist Books is such a cool indie bookstore and they not only find unique ways to promote their own store, but also to share their love of fellow indie bookstores. We have included their logo sticker in the December Literary Road Trip Box, which sold-out during the subscription phase.
Plot Twist Books does not ship directly from their store, but you can support them through their bookshop.org link, by following their instagram page, and subscribing to Matt's podcast. Also, visit their website too. I'm hoping to visit Plot Twist Books in the future and
stay in the Bookshop Bungalow. If you make it there before me, please send me lots of pictures and make me envious that you were able to live the dream of sleeping in a bookstore!
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