Malaprops Bookstore is one of those wonderful little places that may be responsible for putting the original "crunch" into Asheville. Emoke B'Racz was well ahead of her time when she opened her little bookstore on Haywood Street in downtown Asheville 20+ years ago. At a time when downtown had all but closed for business, she was a true visionary.

Being a first class independent bookstore is not a phrase that fully describes what Malaprops means to downtown Asheville. Yes it is a hippie haven, but it is also major stopping point on the literary circuit for many surprisingly famous authors. Yes it is a coffee and pastry shop, but it also a wi-fi hot spot. For a small fee, Malaprops also has two wired cyber stations in her café used by tourists from all over the world. It also serves as both a living room and community center for students and travelers on a budget. Who knows how many young people have found their next job, dog sitter, roommate, or soul mate by using the Malaprops Bulletin Board? Malaprops is also an entertainment venue. In addition to readings by first rate authors like Charles Frazier and Amy Sedaris they also host several book clubs and open mic nights for local poets. It not unusual to be serenaded by a local folk artist while enjoying coffee on the sidewalk in front of Malaprops.

Malaprops has expanded over the years opening two new sister stores. Emoke and her friends turned their once cramped bookstore quarters on Haywood street into the impressive card shop called M’press Cards and Eclectica. Moving Malaprops to the adjacent corner storefront made for a much more inviting and easier to navigate space. A block away on North Lexington Avenue, Downtown Books and News became THE place in Asheville to buy used and out of print books. Downtown Books and News also has the largest collection of national newspapers and magazines in Asheville.

Most importantly, Malaprops has a serious book collection that is all inclusive in the genres it covers. A book on just about any subject can be found in the stacks. The local author section is particularly impressive. Hard to find, rare, and even signed first-edition copies are often found at Malaprops. If there is one particular book that you seek that is not among the stacks, the staff will most likely find it for you. They will order most anything at no charge, and do nationwide out of print book searches for specific titles. Unlike the big national chains, this bookstore shows no preference and has no financial ties to specific publishers. Quality independent bookstores are becoming a rare commodity in this modern world of corporate giants, but not in downtown Asheville.