2008 Woodie Awards
Haunted Bookshop harbors more than good reads
Matthew Moss
Issue date: 10/27/05 Section: A&E
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IOWA CITY - Nialle Woods deals in books - with a touch of the paranormal.
She is the fourth owner of the Haunted Bookshop, located at 520 E Washington St., which specializes in used books but also harbors a presence known by patrons and proprietors known only as "Claire."
The Haunted Bookshop got its name from the title of a book with the same name by Christopher Morley. Named for the original owner's favorite novel, the store has since taken on the characteristics of a haunted bookstore - evidenced by a series of strange coincidences.
Woods said a regular customer one day realized he'd lived in the bookshop many years before it was a store; it was converted from a family home built in 1895. The building was moved from its original location, a block away and became a bookstore in 1978.
A light in the shop - fittingly over the horror section - has flickered on and off seemingly under its own volition on a number of occasions.
"I've tinkered with it and I'm not that bad of an electrician," Woods said, adding that she hasn't figured out the cause of the flicker.
When Woods took over the store, she put in long nights to get it in order. After dozing off one evening she was awakened by a creaking sound above the shop, similar to footsteps, when she knew she was the only one inside.
The old, brick building certainly looks as if it could be haunted. Wood planks underfoot and the distinct smell of used books permeate throughout. Thousands of books cram the shelves with all topics covered, from current events and sociology upstairs to fiction in the dungeonesque basement. A case in the front room is filled with rare volumes, such as a 17th century French self-help book for young men.
The haunting didn't begin at any specific moment, explained Woods, but rather evidence of a presence has grown over time.
No one is sure if Claire represents a solitary spirit or rather a collective presence put off by the books themselves.
She is the fourth owner of the Haunted Bookshop, located at 520 E Washington St., which specializes in used books but also harbors a presence known by patrons and proprietors known only as "Claire."
The Haunted Bookshop got its name from the title of a book with the same name by Christopher Morley. Named for the original owner's favorite novel, the store has since taken on the characteristics of a haunted bookstore - evidenced by a series of strange coincidences.
Woods said a regular customer one day realized he'd lived in the bookshop many years before it was a store; it was converted from a family home built in 1895. The building was moved from its original location, a block away and became a bookstore in 1978.
A light in the shop - fittingly over the horror section - has flickered on and off seemingly under its own volition on a number of occasions.
"I've tinkered with it and I'm not that bad of an electrician," Woods said, adding that she hasn't figured out the cause of the flicker.
When Woods took over the store, she put in long nights to get it in order. After dozing off one evening she was awakened by a creaking sound above the shop, similar to footsteps, when she knew she was the only one inside.
The old, brick building certainly looks as if it could be haunted. Wood planks underfoot and the distinct smell of used books permeate throughout. Thousands of books cram the shelves with all topics covered, from current events and sociology upstairs to fiction in the dungeonesque basement. A case in the front room is filled with rare volumes, such as a 17th century French self-help book for young men.
The haunting didn't begin at any specific moment, explained Woods, but rather evidence of a presence has grown over time.
No one is sure if Claire represents a solitary spirit or rather a collective presence put off by the books themselves.