Visit Long Dark House 🖤
Come find something strange.
Long Dark House is an independent bookstore in Old Town Alexandria dedicated to horror, science fiction, and stories that live a little outside the ordinary.
Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or just want to wander the shelves until something finds you, come on in.
📍 Find Us
Long Dark House
1510 King Street
Alexandria, VA
Located on King Street in Old Town Alexandria.
🕯️ Store Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday–Sunday: 10 AM–8 PM
Hours may occasionally change for holidays, private events, or special programming. Check our social channels for the latest updates before making a special trip.
📚 What You’ll Find
Horror and science fiction are at the heart of Long Dark House, but the strange doesn't stop there.
Our shelves include horror, science fiction, and plenty of stories that refuse to fit neatly into one category.
We especially love curating books from independent presses, underrepresented voices, strange little stories, cult classics, new releases, and books you might not encounter on every bookstore shelf.
You'll also find gifts, curiosities, candles, chocolate, and other things you probably didn't come in for but may leave with anyway.
Our collection is always evolving. New books arrive regularly, and we're constantly learning from what our community is reading and requesting.
Can't find something? Ask us! Our booksellers are happy to help, and we can look into special ordering titles we don't currently have on the shelves.
🖤 More Than a Bookstore
We built Long Dark House to be a place where people can discover stories, meet other wonderfully weird humans, and spend some time together.
Throughout the month, you may find:
Book clubs • Author visits • Signings • Storytimes • Tabletop games • Workshops • Craft nights • Community gatherings • Youth programming • Parties • And whatever other strange ideas we come up with
Some programming requires advance registration, and popular events may sell out. Check our Events page for what's happening during your visit.
🧒 Little Readers Welcome
Yes, we're a horror and sci-fi bookstore.
Yes, you can absolutely bring your kids.
Long Dark House is for curious readers of all ages. We have dedicated children's and young adult selections featuring everything from sweet and silly stories to fantasy, science fiction, graphic novels, spooky books, and books for kids who already like their stories a little weird.
We also host youth programming throughout the year, including Storytimes and other activities designed specifically for younger readers.
Families are always welcome.
🐾 Pets at the House
We're people-friendly over pet-friendly.
We love meeting your friendly companions, but Long Dark House is first and foremost a community space for people. Please check in with our team before bringing your pet inside to say hello.
Friendly, well-behaved pets may be welcomed at our team's discretion depending on how busy the store is and what's happening in the space that day.
Pets are not permitted during scheduled programming or youth events unless specifically noted. Service animals are always welcome.
This helps us keep the House comfortable and accessible for guests who may have allergies, fears, or simply prefer a little distance from animals.
Basically: friendly dogs, ask first. Cujo, please stay home. 🐕🖤
🚇 Getting Here
We're located on King Street in Old Town Alexandria and can be reached by car or public transportation.
Street parking and public parking options are available throughout Old Town. If you're traveling from outside Alexandria, we recommend allowing a little extra time for parking, particularly on weekends and during special events.
🖤 Visiting From Out of Town?
We LOVE that people are making special trips to visit the House.
If you're traveling from Richmond, elsewhere in Virginia, DC, Maryland, or beyond, keep in mind that we're an independent bookstore and our inventory changes constantly.
Some weekends and events can also be particularly busy, so check our social channels for inventory updates, special events, and announcements before making a longer trip.
And if there's a particular title you're hoping to find, feel free to check with us before your visit.
A Few Things to Know Before You Visit
Long Dark House is a new, independent, community-focused bookstore, and we're intentionally creating something that can grow and change alongside the people who visit us.
That means displays will move. New books will appear. Events will pop up. Shelves will evolve. You might discover something completely different on your second visit than you did on your first.
That's part of the fun.
Come browse. Stay awhile. Ask us what we've been reading.
We'll help you find your next strange story.
LONG DARK HOUSE
📍 1510 King Street, Alexandria, VA
🕯️ Tuesday–Sunday | 10 AM–8 PM
🖤 Closed Mondays
Strange stories live here.