Unearth The Voyage
One West Virginia bookstore gives visitors plenty of reasons to stay long after they have found something to read. Most of its collection is secondhand, with standard paperbacks priced around $5 and mass-market books at $4, while the newer shelves spotlight Appalachian writers, local authors, and other voices that can be harder to find in mainstream bookstores.
Then there is the café. Coffee comes from regional roasters, and the menu includes everything from cold brew and cappuccinos to lavender and Maple Pancake lattes.
Pair one with a homemade West Virginia pepperoni roll or a locally made pastry, and a quick browse can easily turn into an afternoon.
But keep exploring past the books and coffee, because that is where things get unexpected. Fossils, preserved insects, rocks, local artwork, reading spaces, and other curiosities are scattered throughout a building that stretches farther back than its storefront suggests.
The whole place began with a mother and daughter pursuing a longtime dream, and the story behind its unusual name makes it even more fitting.
A Bright Blue Building on 14th Street West
You cannot miss it. The vivid blue facade of Cicada Books and Coffee at 604 14th Street West, Huntington, West Virginia 25704, practically announces itself from down the block, standing out cheerfully against the more muted tones of the surrounding Central City Antiques District.
The building sits close to the Central City Gazebo, a well-known local landmark, and just a short walk from The Wild Ramp, Huntington’s beloved year-round indoor farmers market. This placement is no accident.
The owners chose this address deliberately, hoping to inject fresh energy into a historically rich neighborhood and encourage visitors to explore the wider district.
The antique shops nearby create a layered, treasure-hunt atmosphere that pairs perfectly with the bookstore’s own spirit of discovery. Parking is convenient and typically free, which is a genuinely pleasant surprise.
The phone number is 681-378-3463 and the website is cicadabooks.com, so planning your visit takes about thirty seconds.
The Mother-Daughter Dream That Made It All Happen
Some businesses feel like they were built purely for profit. This one feels like it was built from love, and the story behind it confirms exactly that.
Dawn Hylbert and her daughter Katie Norman opened Cicada Books and Coffee in July 2018, turning a long-held family dream into a real, breathing place in the heart of Huntington. Dawn had spent over two decades managing another local business while quietly nurturing a deep passion for books and community spaces.
When Katie spotted a building for sale just blocks from her apartment in Central City, the timing finally felt right.
The name “Cicada” was chosen with care, linking the store to the insect’s symbolic meaning of rebirth and fresh starts. That symbolism extends to the neighborhood itself, which the owners hoped to reinvigorate through their presence.
A successful test run selling coffee at Old Central City Days helped confirm the concept before the doors ever officially opened. Their dedication to the vision shows in every single detail.
What the Shelves Actually Hold
The book selection here rewards patience and curiosity in equal measure. The majority of the collection consists of secondhand general interest titles, priced accessibly at $8 for hardcovers, $5 for standard paperbacks, and just $4 for mass-market paperbacks.
That pricing alone makes browsing feel low-pressure and genuinely fun.
Beyond the used section, a thoughtfully assembled new books area highlights Appalachian literature alongside works by LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC authors, giving shelf space to voices that deserve far more attention than they often receive. Local authors also get prominent placement, which makes the collection feel rooted in place rather than generic.
The inventory rotates often enough that repeat visitors consistently unearth something unexpected. The store runs a Book Buyback Week during the first seven days of every month, accepting specific genres in good condition in exchange for store credit.
That system keeps the collection fresh and creates a satisfying cycle of reading and sharing that feels almost like a neighborhood library, except you get to keep what you find.
Coffee Sourced Close to Home
The coffee program here is more serious than the relaxed atmosphere might suggest. Beans are sourced from three local roasters: Dirty Girl Coffee in Glouster, Ohio; Hill Tree Roastery in Barboursville, West Virginia; and Ignition Roasters right in Huntington itself.
That commitment to regional suppliers means every cup carries a sense of place.
The espresso bar covers all the classics: brewed coffee, cold brew, Americanos, lattes, and cappuccinos. Flavor options run from familiar choices like caramel, chocolate, and hazelnut to more distinctive picks like lavender, maple pancake, and rotating seasonal offerings such as pumpkin spice and peppermint.
A Maple Pancake Latte with a dash of cinnamon is a genuine staff favorite worth trying.
Milk options include whole, 2%, half and half, heavy cream, oat, coconut, and soy, so no one gets left out. The pricing sits comfortably below what chain coffee shops typically charge, which makes the quality feel even more impressive.
Affordable and artisan rarely share the same sentence, but here they do.
Bagels, Pepperoni Rolls, and Local Pastries
Few things pair better with a good chapter than a satisfying bite, and the food menu at Cicada Books and Coffee delivers on that front with some regional flair. The New Yorker Bagels are shipped overnight to guarantee freshness, and they serve as the base for hearty bagel sandwiches that hold up well through a long reading session.
The homemade pepperoni rolls deserve special mention. This is a West Virginia tradition, a beloved regional specialty, and finding them here feels like a small celebration of local food culture.
The rolls arrive warm and satisfying, exactly the kind of snack that makes you want to stay another hour.
Locally made pastries, cookies, and donuts rotate through the display regularly, so the sweet options change with the season and the supplier. That rotation means there is almost always something new to try alongside your coffee.
The food selection is not extensive, but it is well-chosen, and the focus on local makers gives every bite a story worth knowing.
The Third Space Philosophy in Action
The concept of a “third space,” a place that is neither home nor work but somewhere equally comfortable and restorative, is something many businesses claim and few actually achieve. Dawn and Katie built Cicada Books and Coffee with this idea at the center of everything, and the result is a space that genuinely feels like it belongs to the community rather than to its owners.
Free Wi-Fi makes it a natural landing spot for students, remote workers, and anyone who needs a productive change of scenery without the sterile feel of a library or a corporate coffee chain. The seating is plentiful and varied, with quiet corners for solo readers and more open areas for groups catching up over drinks.
The staff consistently earn praise for being warm and approachable without being intrusive, which is a harder balance to strike than it sounds. People from all walks of life seem to find their rhythm here, whether that means two hours of focused reading or an afternoon of easy conversation.
That easy coexistence is the whole point.
Events That Keep the Calendar Full
A packed events calendar separates a truly community-minded space from one that simply calls itself that. Cicada Books and Coffee hosts a steady rotation of free, public events that cover a surprisingly wide range of interests.
Multiple monthly book clubs meet regularly, each one catering to different reading tastes so that virtually every bibliophile can find a group that suits them. Friday evenings bring weekly board game nights, open to all ages, where visitors can bring their own games or choose from the store’s collection.
The atmosphere on those nights is lively without being chaotic, the kind of easy social energy that makes it simple to strike up a conversation with a stranger.
The monthly Cicada Writers group meets every third Tuesday, offering a structured critique session for anyone working on their own writing. Beyond these recurring events, the store hosts author signings, open mic nights, film screenings, and children’s story times in partnership with the West Huntington Branch Public Library.
The variety ensures that no two visits to the events calendar ever feel quite the same.
Rocks, Fossils, and a Touch of Natural Wonder
Most bookstores stick to books. Cicada Books and Coffee has a broader definition of what belongs on its shelves, and the result is one of the more delightful surprises the store has to offer.
Alongside the literary collection, the space features carefully curated displays of plants, interesting rocks, fossils, shells, and preserved insects. These items are not afterthoughts or random clutter.
They are thoughtfully arranged and contribute to an atmosphere that feels more like a cabinet of curiosities than a typical retail shop. Visitors who wander toward the back of the building often find themselves lingering over these displays longer than expected.
The store also stretches further through the building than its modest storefront suggests, which means the sense of discovery keeps building as you explore. Local artwork and handcrafted gifts from regional artists line the walls and fill display areas, offering original paintings, prints, stickers, and other one-of-a-kind pieces for sale on consignment.
You might arrive looking for a book and leave with a fossil, a painting, and a new favorite tea. That kind of unpredictability is genuinely charming.
Openly Inclusive and Proudly Community-Minded
The inclusive spirit at Cicada Books and Coffee is not just a marketing position. The store is a proud participant in Huntington’s “Open to All” campaign, launched in 2018, which commits participating businesses to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for every person regardless of race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or income status.
That commitment shows up in the book selection as well. The curated new books section consistently highlights LGBTQIA+ authors and titles, alongside works by BIPOC writers and voices from the Appalachian region that often go underrepresented in mainstream retail settings.
The staff reinforce this atmosphere through their interactions, which are consistently described as warm, helpful, and free of judgment.
There is something quietly powerful about a space that does not just tolerate difference but actively celebrates it through every decision it makes, from the books it stocks to the events it hosts. Huntington has a complex history like many post-industrial cities, and a space that genuinely centers belonging feels like a meaningful contribution to its future.
The community clearly agrees.
The Atmosphere That Keeps People Coming Back
There is a particular kind of atmosphere that certain places manage to create almost by accident, and others chase for years without ever quite capturing it. Cicada Books and Coffee has it, and it comes through in nearly every account from people who have visited.
The interior is quirky and layered, with comfortable seating options that invite you to settle in rather than pass through. A reading nook toward the back of the building has been described as feeling like stepping into an old antique room, the kind of space where time moves at a slightly different pace than it does outside.
Little curiosities and decorative details are tucked into every corner, rewarding the observant visitor.
The overall vibe balances the gentle energy of a focused bookstore with the warmer, more social buzz of a neighborhood cafe. That balance is genuinely difficult to achieve, and it is the main reason so many visitors describe the store as their favorite spot in the area.
A place that makes you feel at home the first time you visit is a rare thing worth seeking out.
Practical Details for Planning Your Visit
Getting to Cicada Books and Coffee is straightforward, and the practical details make the experience even easier to enjoy. The store is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Mondays are closed, so plan accordingly.
Parking in the Central City Antiques District is generally convenient and free, which removes one of the most common frustrations of visiting an urban independent shop. The neighborhood itself is walkable and pleasant, with antique stores and local businesses creating a natural extension of any visit to the bookstore.
The first seven days of every month bring Book Buyback Week, making that an ideal time to visit if you have gently used books in eligible genres that you are ready to trade for store credit. Free Wi-Fi is always available.
The phone number is 681-378-3463 and the website at cicadabooks.com keeps the events calendar current. One visit rarely feels like enough, and most people seem to find themselves planning a return trip before they have even finished their first cup.
