Denver is getting a bookstore built specifically around horror. Broom Book & Candle plans to open this fall at 482 S. Broadway, combining a spooky-themed book and merchandise shop with an event space and a cafe and wine bar, according to the company website.
The concept comes from co-founders Amanda Shafer and KJ Brantley. Shafer is a horror writer with experience creating slasher summer camp experiences, while Brantley was organizing the inaugural SoCo Women in Horror Festival, which a March 17, 2026, Rue Morgue article announced for March 28 and said would feature Denver writer Erika T. Wurth among its lineup. As WhatNow first reported, the store is now raising funds to open its doors before winter.
Creepaway Camp is an annual summer retreat for horror readers and authors held at the La Foret Conference and Retreat Center in Colorado Springs, per Broom Book & Candle. The retreat includes workshops, campfire storytelling, and panels with national horror authors.
Kickstarter Campaign Seeks $25,000
The buildout is being funded in part through Kickstarter, where the project aims to raise $25,000 and has already received nearly $18,000 in donations, per the crowdfunding campaign.
Backers are being offered rewards ranging from discounts, bookmarks, signed books, candles, and t-shirts to higher-tier perks like VIP pre-opening party tickets, spooky photoshoots, or event giveaways. Whether the campaign crosses its full funding target remains to be seen.
A New Bookstore, Cafe and Wine Bar Takes Shape
The neighborhood has seen bigger departures too — Mutiny Information Cafe, a longtime indie literary and coffee shop anchor at 2 S. Broadway, moved to Englewood in September 2024 after being priced out of its Baker storefront, as reported by the Denver Gazette.
Broom Book & Candle brings a different, more niche pitch to the South Broadway indie book and community scene. Its planned mix of books, merchandise, coffee, wine, and events brings several offerings under one roof.
Beyond Books: Story Time, Author Residencies and a Colorado Horror Community
The space isn't just for late-night browsing and wine. Alongside coffee, wine, and evening events, the store plans a weekly Little Ghouls Story Time aimed at alternative caregivers and children, according to a company video posted to Facebook. The store also promotes in-store programming including an author-in-residence program and a partnership with the Women in Horror Media and Arts Association.
The broader U.S. print book market declined 2.6% in 2023, according to The Bookseller.
The Horror Writers Association has a Colorado Chapter, according to the Horror Writers Association.
Broom Book & Candle's owners were not available for comment prior to publication. With the Kickstarter campaign underway and a fall opening on the calendar, South Broadway's newest storefront is betting that Denver's horror fans are ready to show up in person.
