Watching the likes of “The Twilight Zone” and “Star Trek” with her father was Chanthal Harris’s initiation into her “comfort” genres. That love only deepened with age as she immersed herself in books such as the Bobiverse series and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” — to the point that she’s opened a bookstore solely dedicated to horror and science fiction.
Paying homage to the movies, shows and books that shaped her formative years, Long Dark House feels like an otherworldly twilight zone in its own right.
“I really wanted [Long Dark House] to be this funky, very different experience,” Harris says. “It takes you out of your day-to-day when you come in. I wanted there to be a very odd kind of lighting and displays that really transported me. The books, the visuals I can see in my head, and the movie that kind of plays in my head — I wanted to try to encapsulate that a little bit in this store.”
Open in Old Town Alexandria since Sept. 1, Long Dark House is a sprawling oasis for sci-fi and horror heads to read up on an eclectic selection of titles from local authors and more established names. If you couldn’t find that one niche horror book you’ve been searching for to the ends of the Earth, there’s a good chance it’s here.
Harris curates much of Long Dark House based on her interests in subgenres, like gothic horror, that you may not find at your average big-box bookstore. The store also sells an eclectic range of merchandise, including tarot cards, themed gift boxes and Christmas ornaments featuring the likes of Pennywise (from Stephen King’s “It”) and Frankenstein.
“I’m just trying to introduce people to things to get them out of their comfort zone, both with the subgenres … but then also these fun little displays and interactive items that might make them pick up something they wouldn’t ordinarily pick,” she says.
Harris did get skepticism from some family members when she told them about her ambition to launch the store. And, for a minute, she had doubts, too. There wasn’t some grand, cinematic moment that pushed her to see through her plan. Before opening Long Dark House, she started a candle and fragrance brand last summer called Hemlock and Hearth (which she also sells at Long Dark House), and that experience reassured her that she could do something even bigger.
She also came to the realization that, at 38, it was never too late to start something new — and that time was precious.
“I’ve lost some folks over the last few years, and something clicked,” Harris says. “In the last year, where a lot of what was holding me back — my desire to do this just kind of overtook that fear. I just said, ‘I’m going to do it. I can’t quiet that voice down.’”
The road to opening her first bookstore happened in a lightning flash, taking less than a year from concept to execution. Harris knew from the outset that she wanted the bookstore to be horror- and sci-fi-focused — competitive market research be damned. The vision and branding were clear. What was not, and what was very much out of Harris’ depth, was finding a commercial space for Long Dark House.
That’s when Harris joined forces with friend Meshelle Armstrong, who helped her secure Long Dark House’s location in Alexandria. Armstrong is a veteran business entrepreneur in her own right: She also runs chocolate shop Madame Coco’s Emporium, which shares a space with Long Dark House, and a bar down the street called Coco’s Parlour. The pair initially met when Harris walked into Coco’s Parlour for one of Armstrong’s Coven Nights.
“[Coven Night] is where all the ladies come in, hang out, chitchat,” Armstrong says. “We realized that we were kindred spirits.”
Madame Coco’s original spot in Alexandria was burned down by a fire in 2024, and Armstrong was on the search for a new location when she met Harris. Armstrong eventually landed on the space where Long Dark House and Madame Coco are now located, but she thought it was too big for just her business. That’s when she reached out to Harris.
“I thought, ‘Let’s do something Old Town really needs’ — no Lilly Pulitzer here,” Armstrong says. “I’m an old punk rocker, used to have a mohawk. I wanted to provide something really special and cool, and I thought she was the person to do it with.”
Harris considered other neighborhoods in the D.C. area as the bookstore’s permanent spot after doing a series of pop-up events, but Alexandria felt like home. Plus, she was already tapped into the community there, having lived in the area for the past four years.
That community aspect — and the ability to host events — was an important feature Harris wanted to ensure was built into Long Dark House’s concept.
“I really want this to be community-driven,” she says. “So, while I love curating events, I get even more excited hearing what people want and being able to facilitate that space.”
That community focus is also evident in how Harris has curated books for her shop. On Long Dark House’s website, she has an author submission page where she encourages local authors and underrepresented voices in the sci-fi and horror space to pitch their titles for consideration. As a Black woman who has been a lifelong fan of these genres, Harris understands the significance of having a bookstore like Long Dark House that intentionally makes space for diverse creators.
“It just wasn’t seen when I was growing up,” she says. “And you kind of have these ideas that are either told to you or shared with you in terms of where you belong and kind of where you’re welcome.
“Even though I’ve always been in this space as an outlier — going to the conventions, going to art — I never seriously thought a career or a job was for me, not in these spaces. And so, for me to be here and to read the work from the authors, to make these connections and to have these conversations, it feels really good.”
The reception for Long Dark House has already exceeded Harris’s expectations. Case in point: She launched a Founders membership program that became a vital funding resource for the shop, before she even opened the store.
“I wanted to create a place that didn’t exist that I felt like people like me would enjoy,” Harris says. “I have connected with so many people that are so genuinely excited about this, that just share tons of recommendations of books that they love — and the authors, too.”
With October and Halloween — the mother of all horror holidays — on the horizon, Harris is going all in on the celebrations. Some of those plans include events with authors and a costume party, along with programming built around new releases that come into the store.
The end goal is to provide a community that doesn’t really exist anywhere else in the area — and build a refuge that Harris hopes will be indispensable.
“I am working tirelessly,” she says, “to make sure that it’s not in vain and that this is better than anything that maybe they could have hoped for and imagined, and that I pay it forward in every way possible.”
Long Dark House, 1510 King St., Alexandria.
Where to find your niche in the D.C. area
Long Dark House might be the only game in town devoted solely to sci-fi and horror books, but it certainly isn’t the only place where you can revel in your niche literary interests. Here are three area bookstores where you can find titles that are off the beaten path but right up your alley.
Little District Books
Open since 2022, Little District Books gives some much-needed space and representation to LGBTQ+ authors in a way that you don’t find anywhere else in D.C. — or even outside the District, for the most part. The entire store is devoted to selling queer books, and while it does have an online shop, it’s worth checking out the cozy space on Barracks Row. 631 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.
Friends to Lovers
Just around the corner from Long Dark House is Friends to Lovers. The woman- and queer-owned shop is the only place in the area devoted to romance novels, from both unknown and big-name authors. The store hosts regular events of all types: This month’s calendar is packed with several book clubs, a singer-songwriter showcase and a craft night. 301 Cameron St., Alexandria.
Sankofa Video Books & Café
Sankofa is a D.C.-area staple that requires at least one visit while you’re living here. Founded in 1997 by filmmakers Haile and Shirikiana Gerima, the couple’s store carries a wide swath of African titles, along with home goods and clothing, in addition to their own films. Plus, its cafe serves some of the best vegan food in the city. 2714 Georgia Ave. NW.
The post A Northern Virginia bookstore transports readers into horror and sci-fi realms appeared first on Washington Post.
