Ichabod's Books & Scares, a horror-focused bookstore, opened in Hamilton, Ontario, earlier this month, the Hamilton Spectator reported.
The bookstore, which carries horror, science fiction, mystery, dark fantasy, and "all things wonderfully strange," resides at 17 John St. N. There are book options ranging from tame to intense, as well as a selection of children's titles. Other offerings include locally sourced gifts and merchandise.
Before opening the bricks-and-mortar store, owner Lyndsay Zahachewsky and her husband, Steve, opened an online general-interest bookstore in 2022. After a few years, they decided to open a physical bookstore and focus on a genre dear to their hearts.
Lyndsay Zahachewsky told the Hamilton Spectator that she is an avid reader of "darker literature," and the desire to open a horror-focused store came in part from "going into major book retailers and being met with a horror section that was only one shelf with the majority of books being offered by Stephen King." Noting that although King is one of her "absolute faves," she said she always wanted to see a wider variety of horror authors on shelves.
Zahachewsky added that it "fills my heart" when other horror enthusiasts thank her for opening the bookstore and creating a space for them.
Ichabod's will host a grand opening celebration tomorrow, October 24, featuring signings with authors Nick Cutter (The Troop) and Andrew F. Sullivan (The Marigold) as well as raffles, giveaways, discounts, and tarot readings.