Plot Twist Books in South Charleston, W.Va., is now offering guests the chance to rent a private studio apartment attached to the bookstore.
Called the Bookshop Bungalow, it is available through AirBnb at a rate of $115 per night (with a minimum two-night stay) and has a queen-size bed, a coffee maker, mini fridge, writing desk, and more. As part of the stay, guests can get a behind-the-scenes view of running an independent bookstore, while also having their favorite books put on display as temporary staff picks, and receiving perks like employee discounts and purchase credits.
Browning noted that guests won't actually be working in the shop, and are free to be as engaged with it as they like, but he hopes the Bookshop Bungalow will attract people who are interested in one day owning a bookstore of their own and would like to see how one operates. He was inspired by other bookstores that have similar offerings, especially the Open Book, the nonprofit bookstore in Wigtown, Scotland, where guests manage the store during their visit.
"Making the trip to Scotland is on my bucket list, and when we couldn't find anything exactly like it here in the U.S., we thought we would put our own spin on such an experience," Browning said.
Plot Twist Books opened in downtown South Charleston in March. It sells new and used titles, along with a variety of bookish gifts.