Asheville's Oldest and Best Independent Bookstore


Malaprops Bookstore/Cafe

An Asheville institution on Haywood Street in the middle of downtown (next to Library). Large and wonderful selection of books you won't find anywhere else. Old timey school chairs with reading arms are scattered here and there for comfortable browsing.

Author readings and signings.

Cafe with assortment of 'natural' goodies. Great place to while away a Saturday afternoon ... with plenty of places to sit while you browse.

Various book and writers clubs meet monthly.

Counter Culture Coffee
"Coffee Driven Coffee.... People Driven Coffee"

We’re not trying to change the world, just the way it thinks about coffee.

".... Counter Culture has heart, passion and a moral conscience. Our coffee is grown in a sustainable way, ensuring that habitats are preserved. The growers with whom we partner are treated with respect and paid well, reflecting our belief that our successes are interdependent. We’re a community-based company that wants everyone to live well. And if that’s revolutionary, then so be it...."

At Counter Culture, coffee isn’t merely a bean or a beverage. It’s the furthest thing from a commodity. Coffee is a process involving high standards and tough decisions. Coffee is relationships and responsibilities. More than anything, coffee is a connective force that has the potential to bring out the best in people.

There’s nothing more exciting than introducing people to really great tasting coffee. That’s what we live for. Both within and outside of our company, our mission is to create cutting-edge coffee people. This is an ongoing educational process that involves company-wide training programs, barista certifications and weekly coffee cuppings that are open to the public. We’ve found that the more informed about coffee our consumers are, the better we are forced to perform. We remind ourselves daily that we’re performing for a demanding audience and we taste and reject a lot of sub-par coffee so that our customers don’t have to.

We have a responsibility to our growers. We’re making a difference in coffee-growing countries, working on location with growers and treating them as partners. Traditionally, the only way a farmer would get a message that his product wasn’t up to our standard was when we didn’t go back to him the next season. That economic message was a strong one, but it lacked that information needed to improve the situation. We’re now taking a more holistic approach, realizing that the specific feedback we pass along can improve future crops. And that’s better for everyone.

"...Founded in 1995, Counter Culture Coffee is an independent coffee roaster based in Durham, NC. Guided by our commitments to quality, transparency, education, and sustainability, we work in close partnership with coffee farmers around the world to offer our customers the most authentic, delicious coffees imaginable.

While our roastery/headquarters and regional training centers do not function as retail locations, we open our doors every Friday at 10 a.m. for weekly coffee cuppings and offer a series of free, hands-on training and education classes throughout the year. Please send an email to questions@counterculturecoffee.com to schedule a visit or tour, to learn more, or to request help locating retailers in your area where you can find our coffee..."

Counter Culture Coffee
Asheville Regional Training Center
77 Broadway Street
Asheville, NC 28801
Google Map

Mary Schroeder, Customer Relations (828) 423-4827

".... We roast and ship coffee to order every day, Monday through Friday, and we offer specialized retail solutions for coffee shops, grocery stores, specialty markets, and restaurants...."

Explore the Bliss of Coffee and Coffee Houses

Asheville's Only
24 Hour Coffee House

Caffiend
"... is the Carolina's first and only 24 hour coffee and espresso bar. We started just this year and have already gained a reputation as a destination coffee house in the Southeast. Caffiend features amazing coffee from not one, but four roasters as well as a variety of local gourmet baked goods. Many things set us apart from the competition; whether it's the widest variety of drinks available in our region, the over one hundred varieties of gourmet teas, the lowest prices in our region, or the comfortable seating there's something for everyone at Caffiend. Caffiend also offers amenities you come to expect from any great coffee house such as free wireless internet as well as an in-house computer with available printing (for a small fee). So we invite you to visit a true phenomenon in coffee, Caffiend... and don't forget SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK!..." Located within easy walking distance of downtown Asheville at 120 A North Merrimon Avenue (between I-240 and Greenlife)

Their MySpace Page ... Map...
Check out their photo gallery

Matthew's vision:

"....Caffiend started with a dream of the owner Matthew Hebb to be the alternative to the typical late night scene of drinking and crummy restaurants. Over the years, with the help of others, he began to develop a truly new concept in coffee. Matthew believed that it didn’t have to be daytime to get a latte and that it shouldn’t cost five dollars either. These ideas and many other things brought about the advent of our shop. Asheville the home of Caffiend has long been a city where normal was weird and many work in the service industry. Combined with the artistic flair of the town and the coffee oriented culture of the city, it was deemed the perfect place for the shop. Through many difficult days and many bad mall jobs the owner and staff began to build the shop that is there today. The store opened modestly with a home coffee maker, a dozen bagels, and a few dedicated baristas, determined to make it work. In the short time it has been open, Caffiend has added to the selection of coffees, baked goods, and teas available to provide not only the best quality and the best variety, but also the best value. Together Matthew and the staff have worked to create a dynamic atmosphere inclusive of the backgrounds and interests of the staff. In the future, Caffiend hopes to provide the Asheville area with a truly amazing and distinctive coffee house that’s always open and where everyone can feel at home...."

Discover the Bliss of
the Teas of the World

So I sat and ran my hand over the book and looked at the zen style teapot pouring a hot serving of tea, in the cover photo. Then I opened the book and an hour later when the sun had begun to set and I realized I needed to turn on a light, I realized how mesmerized I had become. To the point I reread areas because I was on the path to becoming a tea lover. The photos are stunning and informative, which is rare in most books. I was intrigued about all the various cultures where tea is not only drunk, but used as an ingredient in medicine, cooking and baking...."