The Dark, Unbound is a uniquely atmospheric retail and gathering space in Falls Church Virginia, providing a curated book selection and aesthetically-related merchandise in a cozy and moody environment that encourages customers to visit, browse, linger, and learn.
Life is hard, and we all get the urge to check out some alternate realities from time-to-time. Our literary selections offer you a choice of escapes, from high fantasy to urban horror, or cerebral speculative fiction to dystopian science fiction. We do not differentate between adult or young adult audiences, since many books in these genres have appeal to wide audiences and we aim to offer the broadest selection of fantastical stories to everyone.
We have been fans of fantastic fiction since childhood, but had to take a break from reading for a long time because of the sameness of what was being published. In recent years, with established publishers putting more emphasis on the diversity of authors, and the accessibility and success of the self-publishing model, it is easier to find representation than ever before. But we still feel like it is not enough. We are opening The Dark, Unbound specifically to spotlight and celebrate fantastic works from women, Black and Indigenous Americans, queer voices, and international writers, and to give them their place on the shelves next to instead of the same typical authors you can find easily at other stores.
There are many places for book lovers to purchase brand-new, quality books. There are also many places to buy (sometime less-than) quality used books, of all genres. These are usually not the same places.
As treasure-hunters, we have always dreamed of a place that offers both new, and almost-new books right next to each other. Depending on your need and budget, it's nice to have options for the title you are looking for all on the same shelf.
We are constantly learning, and we think you should be, too: about the world and its unseen forces, about relating to others, and about understanding and helping our own bodies, minds and souls. Come and browse our large selection of books on topics from Astrology, Breathwork and Consciousness, to Xenolalia, Yoni Worship, and Zen.
Like crows and magpies, we love to collect pretty things. Come and browse our unique merchandise finds: curated vintage and new art, decor, journals, antique bookends, candles, and metaphysical supplies that will appeal to the all the crafters, the curious, and the curiosity collectors. Our merchandise will be offered at a variety of price points, because we recognize the magic of browsing beautiful things, and we want that to be accessible to everyone - to help in your personal spiritual journey ... or maybe just to feather your nest.
Workshops and events will be offered in-store on topics such as:
Our mission is to build an inclusive community of like-minded people; compassionate humans with open minds, broad viewpoints, and a desire to make a difference in this world. People who have big imaginations and good energy, a love of reading and learning, and who understand that spending time in worlds beyond the ordinary is good for us.
To that end, the Crones of The Dark, Unbound will be ever-present to share their love of these spaces, these topics, and these authors with our customers. We will engage equally with loyal customers and those who are “just browsing.” We will tell our stories, and ask for yours. We expect to find many of our merchandise vendors and event partners through engagement with our customers. Our goal is to be a place where customers feel welcomed and thrilled to be part of the excitement that is The Dark, Unbound.
We love to collect books - but we recognize that not everyone has the space or inclination to accumulate a mountain of tomes like a nerdy dragon. The Dark, Unbound’s Lending Library program will enable users to have faster access to books that they may not want to own, but they still want to gobble up immediately.
Stay tuned for more details about this exciting program.
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.