Kathy from BermudaOnion shares her visit to Over the Moon Bookstore & Artisan Gallery, which she discovered through an article in Shelf Awareness, a daily newsletter of the book trade. This store is not only a dream come true for the two sisters who own it, but also embodies the “support local” movement, employing local artisans to create store fixtures, and incorporating local wineries in their events. Maybe the state should make a new motto, Virginia is for (book) lovers!
When I saw a recent article about Over the Moon Bookstore & Artisan Gallery in Shelf Awareness, I was excited because it’s located close to Carl’s family. I knew I wanted to check out the store on our next visit to the Shenandoah Valley.
Located in downtown Crozet, Virginia, Over the Moon Bookstore opened on June 27 of this year. It’s owned by sisters Anne and Laura DeVault, who greeted us warmly (and maybe just a little competitively) when we walked in the door. The sisters said business has been good and their enthusiasm was apparent as we discussed books and bookselling. Over the Moon Bookstore is a wonderful example of just how important independent bookstores (and other businesses) are to a community.
When Laura and Anne dreamed of owning a bookstore, they always felt that Crozet would be a great location, and
when the space at 5798 Three Notch’d Road became available, they knew it would be the perfect space for them. Rather than order standard fixtures, they worked closely with local woodworker, Fred Dodson and he created one-of-a-kind shelving that is both beautiful and functional. I love all of the fixtures, especially the check-out counter with its soapstone top. The fixtures around the pillars feature hidden storage and can be moved for large events.
Over the Moon Books will be hosting both author and artist events as well as storytimes and bookgroups. They feature as many local artists as they can and when they have gallery openings, they feature a different local winery as well.
While we browsed the shelves and made our selections, other customers came in and shared baby pictures with Anne and Laura. It’s easy to see that community is important to them. They are working on a website and currently have aFacebook page and a Twitter account.
If you’re ever near Charlottesville, Virginia, take a short drive to Crozet to see this fabulous new store. I just loved it!
This store looks adorable!! Great feature!
[...] read (and see) more about it, head over to She Is Too Fond of Books to see the post I wrote for her Spotlight on Bookstores [...]
Thanks for posting this, Dawn! I love Over the Moon Books and encourage everyone in the area to visit the DeVault sisters.
It is such a cute place! I love that they have featured art AND WINE! That is totally my kind of a bookstore!
I like the looks of this place; it’s bright and inviting, and reminds me of a public library.
Is it a house? ‘Cause that looks suspiciously like a garage door off to the right.
Looks like a great browsable locale.
That looks great! I like the homely atmosphere in there.
Julie – aren’t the pictures great?! Kathy could write a travel guide
Kathy – It’s a great story of sisters working together to make their dreams come true (gives me hope among the sibling squabbles here!)
Sandy – and books! I wonder if serving wine increases book sales?!
Suko – yes, it’s very inviting. The combo of unique fixtures, great lighting and art (and books!) is a winning one.
softdrink – I’ll pass the question on to Kathy — you are quite a detective!
tammy – the community seems to have welcomed the sisters with open arms; I like the anecdote about a customer sharing her family photos
Unlock – yes, very welcoming
That is a garage door that Jill spotted in the photo. The building may have been a house at one time, but today it houses several businesses. The next time I’m there, I’ll have to ask the DeVault sisters if they know the history of the building.
The pictures of the store are just beautiful! I love that all the shelves are custom built! It makes me sad that there are no independents around here like Over the Moon Books, but that just means that the market is open for someone to come along and start one!
Great story! I can’t wait to get out there and see it for myself!
Linda
I love the look of the bookstore. Heaven on earth with Books! Thanks for spotlighting this treasure trove Kathy!
what a great looking bookstore! I love the artwork. It looks so cozy!
What a cozy bookstore! Too bad it’s not closer to where I live…well, actually it’s a good thing it’s not, considering the state of my bookshelves. LOL