Our first entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is not for just one item. It’s another retailer spotlight. And today’s pick is a brand-spanking new retailer, located at 7 East Main Street in Buckhannon, West Virginia. It’s a fun day-trip from Charleston and is a quick trip from Morgantown, Fairmont or Clarksburg.

I’m talking about Volume Bookshop & Studio. It’s primarily a bookstore, with lots of extras, and it’s co-owned by Spike Nesmith, who is currently Director of Production, Producer, Presenter, Voice Talent at WVRC Media, but is well known in the Charleston area for his years at WKLC, Rock 105. Spike’s partner is his wife, Nicki Bentley-Colthart, and they have created a charming and unique shop, located on Main Street in Buckhannon.

They have an online store offering new and gently-used books of all kinds, but the real treat is in visiting the store in person. In addition to books, they have video, vinyl, handmade quilts, totes, and…a nod to Spike’s Scottish origins…a selection of teas, candies and snacks from the United Kingdom.

On top of that, right in the middle of the store is a working podcast studio. You can rent it to record your own show at very reasonable rates.

Volume Bookshop & Studio is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 AM to 6 PM, and it is a gem of a store that’s just getting started. The place is dripping with charm and while you can find all kinds of great gifts there, taking somebody there in person is a pretty great gift itself.

Last week, your humble blogger and his wife decided to do something that might not have been the most sane of things, but right in the middle of yours truly writing The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide, we took a 650-mile road trip over four days, the results of which you will see in this blog in the coming weeks.

We drove from Charleston to Cambridge, Ohio to Canton, Ohio to Hermitage, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh and then Fairmont, before stopping in to check out Volume last Tuesday.

We were the first people in right after they opened, and it was Veteran’s Day, so I was able to grab all these photos before the crowds showed up. As you can see, it’s a great little bookshop with plenty to offer.

If you decide to make the trip to the store your gift, be sure to check out the other cool places in Buckhannon, and on the way back you can stop in Flatwoods and hit Everything Fiesta for your FiestaWare needs, then zip over to the other side of I 79 for lunch at Luzader’s and dessert at The Custard Stand. Make a whole day of it!

As soon as you walk in, you notice that the store is charming and cozy, and there’s a recording studio right there in the middle.

They have a great assortment of current bestsellers.

Plus they have vinyl and DVDs (except for Ferris Bueller…Mel boughtt that)

There’s a spotlight on local authors.

More books plus cool totes.

Treats for the Anglophiles…

…and more treats for the Anglophiles. I brought home some Malteasers.

In a feat of amazing self-control, I did not wipe out their supply of Curly Wurly bars. I have a source in Nitro.

They also have some stunning homemade quilts.

We parked right in front. It was really easy to find, and we’ll be back as soon as possible. You should go too.