We had hoped to see some of the leaves starting to change in their yearly show but for the most part, we were a bit early. There were lots of leaves on the ground but the colors hadn’t hit their peak yet. While driving we passed through areas with the sweet smell of burning leaves, taking us back to our childhoods. We ended up across the border in West Virginia and so we stopped at a bookstore located not far from Cheat Lake.
We have tried to visit this store on other occasions but every time we had come down to this area it wasn’t open either because it was too early in the morning or the store wasn’t open on the day we arrived. Today our timing was on and the store was open!
From the outside, Antiques and Old Books doesn’t look special but walking inside the door, I was taken to another time and place. It was as if we had been invited into the owner’s home. Books filled the shelves and cabinets in all directions. Desks and tables had groupings of books along with antiques nicely placed around them. It wasn’t overcrowded; everything seemed to be right in its proper place. It was as if we had stepped back in time.
An old brass bell ringer sat beside the cash register with a world globe sitting near-by. Books were lined up in front of the counter and a glass display case held a variety of smaller items above them. Behind the desk was a set of shelves with nicely bound books, giving the shop a look of distinction. But it was all the other bookshelves that grabbed my attention. Where does a person start in a strange bookshop? Where else but with the owner, of course...
Jo Ann was standing behind the desk right inside the door and after greeting us was happy to show us around and familiarize us with her shelves. She has a lot of West Virginia related books and authors including many signed volumes. Antiques sat amongst the books as if they had been put more for display than to be sold. Pottery, wooden bowls, linens and typewriters sat with small collections of books beside them. Open shelves and cabinets with glass doors held books and there was even a doll house beings used to store some children’s books. While many of the books were old, they were in good condition!
I went over to the books written by West Virginian authors. It was a tall set of shelves with a chair sitting across from it. Stretching up a bit I squinted to see what was on the top shelf. Running my eyes across the titles I would occasionally pull one down and open it up. I’d look at the paper it was printed on, is it thick paper that has started to disintegrate with time or is it a better quality of paper? Of course the subject matter of the book is important. If I’m not interested in the subject, the book gets replaced. I check the front to see when it was published and to see if by chance the author had signed their name in it. I find looking through a book store much like a game, a search to see what I can find.
There is a good feeling I get when I’m turning thin nicely printed pages. These books are fragile, they need cared for and a quick glance through the pages show if any drinks have been spilled on them or if any notes have been scribbled in the margins. I want to know that the previous owners cared for their books. I look for any illustrations or maps that might be in them.
If it is non-fiction, I check the index for things I’m interested in and if so, check to see what the author has written about it. Are there any water spots, mold or a cracked spine and how does it smell? Old books should have a wonderful smell. These are all part of my process of evaluating a book. Another very important thing I check is of course, the price!
I worked my way though the shelves and then went over to where the train books were stored. While I browsed I marveled at the various antiques and pictures setting beside the books. I ended up in a small corner cabinet where I found some books dealing with Pennsylvania and its history.
While Ann Marie was going through sets of linens in the drawer of a near-by dresser I was delving into Pennsylvania’s past. I left the store with a nice copy of The History of Pennsylvania from the 1940’s written for students and also picked up a book titled Living with Books published in 1965, which I think was intended for librarians. Ann Marie purchased a copy of Onward and Upward in the Garden by Katharine S. White, printed in 1979, written by the wife of the author who wrote Charlotte’s Web.
Visiting a bookshop for the first time, it is nearly impossible to see everything. We will definitely return here again to see what other treasures we might have missed. This bookstore will be added to our list of “favorites”!
On our trip we visited some iron furnace remains; some waterfalls, another bookstore and we ate dinner in Morgantown before heading back. It was a beautiful day for a memorable drive. We got lots of fresh air and saw three sunrises and two sunsets thanks to the topography of the roads and the mountains in the distance. I’ve said it before, the area around western Pennsylvania has so many nice things in it to explore and discover!
Another thing that will draw us back to this bookstore again is to visit with Elliott. He was sleeping behind the counter but we could hear him snoring. I don’t know how old this Basset Hound is but he sure enjoyed having his throat rubbed. His long ears felt like silk. He reminded me of my own Basset Hound, Romeo, a cherished pet from my youth. Books and dogs, a couple of the things I’d learned to love at an early age!
