Malaprop's will forever be one of my favorite indie bookstores. I first fell in love with it back in 2021 when I lived in AVL. I liked the name so much because I was the type of person who used malaprops a good amount. It's extra charming because you're able to order something from their cafe while reading your book. This spot is deceptively huge. The different sections are very intentional and beautifully organized. I had an especially great time looking at the "Beautiful Books" section this visit. I ended up falling in love with a short stories book by Chips Hardy that I took home. I also adored their graphic t-shirts here. I am not a big t-shirt person, but always want more graphic tees, so was so excited to love this one so much. I had a really special experience with one of the booksellers here on my recent visit too. I could not find The Enchanted April in the fiction section and when I asked, one of the booksellers got really excited about the author and that book. She passionately told me how wonderful the book was. We were sad to see it was sold out, but suggested I check a bookstore a block over. I love this bookstore and think everyone should make it a stop on an Asheville trip. read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Book from Beautiful Books section - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Very cool independent bookstore in downtown Asheville complete with an adjacent cafe and tables for sipping, reading, or conversing. It seems as though it's only open until the afternoon though, as it wasn't staffed when we were there. But there's still plenty of seating if you wanted to sit a spell. The bookstore portion is really well curated with a nice "local" section featuring local writers and interest. I love checking out this section when I travel and there was a ton to dig into here. They also have a good sized kid's section most notable thing is how many books they offer with autographed copies. That means they seem to bring in a ton of writers which is so exciting for the Asheville community. Speaking of community, I peeked at their events calendar and it looks like they have a ton of book clubs in a variety of different genres that meet regularly. So no matter your interest (romance, science fiction, mystery, horror, etc) you can find a meetup. Some are hosted in store but others in local breweries, libraries, and other third spaces in the area. Excellent offerings across the board! read more

Love a bookstore like this. It's giving the late 90's sit around and look at books vibe. You can grab a cafe drink and relax in here. I noticed they have events and authors that have events too. It's smells like books in here as a bonus. A wide selection of books with many genres. Also lots of cards, stickers, gifts and such. Definitely come hang out here and buy some books. read more

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This spot is a great local bookstore with curated reads. The kids area was robust, including a whole shelf of local-theme books. I appreciated the selection of journals and pens. There's a cafe inside, as well, with a handful of tables. read more

Stopped in Malaprop's and a great bookstore. A key to a good bookstore is organization and this store is very well organized. Aisles are well spaced so it makes browsing easy in a busy store. Hit up Malaprop and read something. read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Tshirt - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Fantastic local bookstore walkable from downtown. There is a cafe with drinks inside as well as many book sections ranging from mystery to natural history- carrying popular and interesting books. I loved the local artist cards section too! read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Very warm and inviting bookstore that includes a large selection of children's books and adult books. I really like that they carry a lot of DIVERSE children's books and showcase all different cultures, people, body types, etc. It's so refreshing seeing books like these sitting on bookshelves without having a giant tag hanging above it calling attention to it, as it's just a part of the bookstores normal offerings. Had an iced latte here that was fantastic as well! read more

We stopped by here while visiting Biltmore. There was honestly a line outside waiting for them to open which was surprising to me. The bookstore is a smaller than those found in larger cities, but just right for Asheville. They do have a little coffee shop on the inside. All of the people were friendly, and they do have a wide variety of books to choose from. 2025-15 #566 read more

Cute little book store with many sections. Looks like there is a cafe and coffee bar which were not open. read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Storefront - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Absolutely horrible experience that tainted our time in Asheville. As we were paying, the sales ckerk placed a paper bookmark in our book. I asked if I could have a second. She replied by saying, "Usually people finish paying before they start asking for free stuff." Are you kidding me?!? I live in a literary city and have worked in an independent bookstore. I've never seen or experienced such pompous staff. Needless to say, we immediately returned our purchase... We'll spend our dollars in a bookstore with kinder staff who don't berate their customers. read more

My wife and kids and I showed up here from out of town with our very large Alaskan Malamute, and the experience was amazing. We were nervous initially; our dog is very friendly but also quite big, and our kids both are very inquisitive. But the staff was extremely helpful, pointing our older daughter in the direction of a number of great YA/Teen fiction books, and helping our younger daughter find non-fiction science books that interested her. And they were very accommodating of our giant pile of fluff who wanted to say "Hi" to everyone. We wound up buying five bags worth of books and it was worth every penny. When we got back to our rental, we found that several of the fiction books were autographed copies from a local author! What a wonderful surprise that was! read more

Malaprop's Bookstore is a nice shop in downtown Asheville, offering a good selection of books that has something for everyone here. I can't ever resist a bookstore wherever I am, so naturally, I visited Malaprop's to see what it was all about. It's a local bookstore that will have that best seller, new release or that one book that's on every must-read list. If you're looking for a particular book, it's worth inquiring about it here. The bookstore itself isn't massive, but is a good size shop that has different genres that are well organized and clear to find, as well as a small café near the entrance. If you're walking around downtown Asheville and are a bibliophile, then you must pay Malaprop's a visit. Although they won't have all the books, you'll find the selection they have is a decent amount, and there are author events and readings. It would be a place I'd frequent if I lived in the area. read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Blind Date w/ a Book - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe is a delightful bookstore in downtown Asheville, NC. It has a calm and warm atmosphere that immediately makes you want to curl up with one of the many books in the store. They have a good selection of books in many genres, and they sell gift items, notebooks (Field Notes fans will appreciate the variety of editions available), pens, stickers, etc. There is also a cafe on the premises if you're in the mood for a hot (or cold) drink while perusing the books. Highly recommended! read more

I love bookstores and since I live in Asheville, I wish I felt that way about Malaprops. I grew up going to great bookstores such as City Lights (had a great conversation with the owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti when I was in high school)'and the Strand. Malaprops is not a great bookstore for one reason. That is, the owner or buyer's politics are clearly reflected in the stock. Good luck finding "The Road to Serfdom" and similar works here. Asking for a book by conservatives like Michael Knowles or God Forbid! Ben Shapiro would give the women here a stroke. It's a shame because Asheville deserves more intellectual diversity. You won't find it here. read more

Good selection of books and reading accessories. Great staff recommendations and they have a surprise book selection where the books are wrapped in brown paper with a basic description on the outside. You don't find out what the book is until you get it home, which is great for discovering great reads outside your normal repertoire. Staff was nice and they have a small coffee shop inside. read more

Overall: Great little cafe in the heart of downtown and nestled in the bookstore. The good: Friendly service that was quick once we got our orders in. The drinks were delicious and gave us energy for the day. Nice atmosphere tucked within the bookstore, so you can browse around too. Great location. The not-so-good: Prices are a little high for coffee drinks, but that's about it really. read more

One of the cutest bookstores i've been to in a while and they have surprise book collections and a nice cafe!

The absolute best and a must visit in AVL. Great choices, great prices. Everything you could want in a bookstore! Only wish they had a public bathroom lol! read more

We initially tried to go to the Battery Park Book Exchange, but it was closed and honestly...we are thrilled. A few shops we loved recommended Malaprop's and it was just such a lovely store. It is well-labeled/organized and has a great layout that invites you to stop and look as opposed to being crammed in tight rows with the masses. The discounted books, staff picks, random gifts, and new releases are towards the front. They have a great kids area and such friendly staff! My favorite part...the mystery books wrapped in opaque paper. They only label the outside by genre and an idea of the book themes and you take a gamble. This would be such a fun gift for an avid reader or a book club. read more

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Malaprop's Bookstore is a great independent bookstore in Downtown Asheville where everyone is welcome. It is fun just to come in and browse while seeing what is new or the local books. I like that the store offers items that others stores do not. The staff is friendly and helpful which makes this store what it is and why it is in its 41st year. I never leave here empty handed and the shopping bags are so simple and cute. read more

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Great vibe. First time there brought an even year old so he could pick out a book for birthday. He had no problem finding something... My time was limited but I will go back next time I'm in Asheville. read more

An absolute gem of a bookstore that still feels local. Employees are super friendly and helpful.

Independent bookstores are always a fun find, and I try to support them. If we want our small businesses to be around after COVID, we need to support them now. Recently, one of my favorite artists (Catana Chetwynd of Catana's Comics) published a book. Malaprops hosted an online, ticketed, event for those who purchased the book from them. This was a win for everyone- the artist got her work out to the public, the bookstore got business, and fans got a 60 minute Q&A via YouTube. I purchased my ticket and book online. On the day of the YouTube Q&A, Malaprops sent several confirmations with links, and the instructions for logging on were easy to understand. The event started on time, all technology worked well, and it was fun hearing one of my favorite artists answer audience questions. Malaprops hosted in-person events before COVID, but has done a great job moving them online. They actually host several per week, so if you're a book nerd and buy the book through them, you can attend. The book prices are MSRP and they ship for a nominal fee- curbside pick up is available if you're in the Asheville area. I hope to visit Malaprops' store post-pandemic. Until then, I'm glad to be able to support them with online purchases. read more

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Cute independent bookstore! They had a ton of super popular books but they also had a lot of collections and parts of the store dedicated to local authors in addition to various genres which was great and made it easy to locate books! I asked one of the employees if she could help me find books that are unique to their store and she couldn't think of many books but she pointed me to the regional sections where they had a regional fiction, regional nonfiction and regional cookbook section which was nice to see more than just map books! The cafe part was cute and nice to have a small coffee shop partner with them vs a Starbucks or Dunkin. They had an 'On Sale Section' and even kids books which was sweet. I bought a few books about NC or by local authors which I'm super excited about!! They also sold matches which had really cute matchboxes. Overall, I'm pretty glad I went and it was nice to see a fairly unique independent book store and get to go there and have time to go visit a bookstore while traveling!! read more

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This place has a worthy reputation that proceeds it! I've heard of it, even all the way in Indiana. It's an absolutely delightful bookstore. So fun to walk around! You can tell the staff are knowledgeable about the books inside and care about the recommendations that they give. I bought one of their "blind date with a book" options and I think they have it a great description! They also mentioned when I bought it that if it turns out it's something I've already read, I have a day to bring it back and return it. So considerate! I wish I lived closer to this. :) read more

I can't say enough good things about this bookstore. It is legitimately one of my favorite places in the world. I have family in Asheville so I've been coming to this business off and on for the last several years, whenever I visit. Basically whenever I get a chance. It has the atmosphere of small bookstore, while actually being spacious, bright and chocked full of options. There is a giant section of wall dedicated to blind-date (paper wrapped) books with single-word descriptions written by employees which is addictive to any book-lover. There is a section for Knick knacks, posters, jewelry, magnets, etc. Plenty of local authors to choose from and there's even a tiny cafe connected (though I'm not sure how it's working out with COVID.) You don't want to miss this place! read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Always nice to visit an independent bookstore when you're in town. I was happy to see that other people had the same idea. Not a giant store but excellent selection. People were very nice. Try "blind date with a book" where you buy a mystery book based on a synopsis. They will let you try another if you already read it. read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Blind date with a book. Who knows what's under the cover? - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

What a great bookstore! It has everything you can hope to find. Every section is well-labeled; the variety is very wide for the size of the store. It reflects what a local bookstore should be all about - good selection, personalized recommendations, excellent customer service. I will be back! read more

I love checking out different bookstores, and this one is definitely worth a look. On the smaller side, this popular shop is full of oldies and newbies, a variety of genres, even a cafe. Very busy on a Saturday afternoon. I also fell in love with a concept I've only seen in Asheville... Blind Date Books! Books wrapped up so you cannot see the covers, just a few quick descriptions on the front to see if you'll "hit it off" - what a fun idea! Lots of cool trinkets and non-books as well. Only downside, did not see any used books (my go-to) and prices were on higher side. Would return. read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Blind Date books. Such a cool idea! - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

We have visited this bookstore on a previous trip to Asheville and were glad to return. Huge adult selection - the only thing I found a bit lacking is the smaller chapter book sections for those kids that are no longer needing picture books but aren't ready for middle grade books. However, I still love this place! read more

One of my favorite places to visit in downtown Asheville! I love a good book, and this independent bookstore has a lot to offer. Walking into Malaprop's provides a welcoming and inviting experience. All the books are attractively displayed, organized by different genres and offering staff recommendations as well as a "book club". There is even a shelf where you can purchase "blind date books" that are wrapped up with a brief description and have to be bought before you know what you'll be reading! Malaprop's also features a cafe, although I have yet to order anything from there- next visit! read more

I just love Malaprop's! It's not the same as pre-Covid but then, what is? The coffee shop is currently closed and you should make an appointment to browse the store but if they aren't busy you can go in, no problem. They take down your information, name and number, in case there's a Covid report from a customer just so they can text you. I actually really appreciate them going out of there way like that. I ALWAYS find something to buy, whether I intend to or not! Check it out, especially if you love old fashioned book stores! read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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I don't know if the walk up window is new but I've never been before. The person working the window was INCREDIBLE and the service was fast! Loved the drink suggestion and will stop by again soon. I was sad to not go inside due to Covid restrictions but will order a book for pickup! Happy a local business is taking Covid seriously read more

Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - Outdoor sign - Bookstores Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Every visit is successful! From in person to ordering online, I have always found what I am looking for. Staff is welcoming and helpful. Preordering and pick up is always a breeze. I look forward to visiting each time I go read more

Love everything about this store. Only wish they'd stay open later like they used to pre-pandemic. Went there for date night coffee and book buying. Closed at 5pm on a Saturday :( read more

What a gem!! I loved this cute little store and cafe. I love that they had a small cart of books that were unedited by publishers or arcs that were free. I loved how they had a "blind date with a book section." I loved their staff picks. Everything was just *chefs kiss* read more

Somehow "closed in 5 minutes" means you can't order expresso from the coffee shop since they are "already cleaning the expresso machine". Seems we have forgotten that you are open until you are closed. At the time you are closed. read more

Hope you like lesbian 'woman's issues' books, because they dominate the inventory. Also , you'll pay full price for everything To top off the insult, their bathrooms have been "Out of order' for about 12 weeks now. If they don't want people coming in just to use their restrooms. Just be honest about it. This used to be a great bookstore. Now. It isn't read more

This is quite a cute place. It is a book store with a little cafe too. I did not spend a lot of time here so my review is going to be somewhat limited. They are larger than they first appear to be. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful. They offer quite a nice selection of books and I did make a purchase. We sat in the cafe area and some fresh water. It has a very nice and relaxed vibe. Would make a great place to read, do work or study as well. I love places like this and I just wish I'd had more time to spend there. read more

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Very cute. Great selection of local work which is always nice. There was a lot of variety and I found some new recs I'd never seen before.