If you’ve wandered down Main Street in Waynesboro recently and stepped into Stone Soup Books, you’ll know immediately that this shop is about more than selling books—it’s about weaving a community together, one story at a time. Founded in 2006, Stone Soup has always done things a little differently. For eight years, the shop paired books with a café dishing up locally sourced food. Later, they hit the road with pop-ups in breweries, wineries, and conferences—anywhere people gathered to share stories and ideas. When they finally re-rooted downtown, co-owner Mary Katharine put it simply: “We needed more space for gathering—for book discussions, classes, and rescued books. The community encouraged us to be on Main Street, and they’ve been so welcoming and supportive. Stone Soup Books is a cozy, welcoming shop that offers something for everyone. We carry new, used and antiquarian books. We have a wide selection of genres, but are particularly proud of our natural world, spirituality, and local lore. The shop’s inventory reflects a balance that makes for serendipitous browsing. As Janie explains, “We love highlighting local authors. It’s fun to see people flip through a book and realize they know the author or recognize one of the locations or buildings in the book.” Used and rare books are mostly sourced from the local community - members who downsize, relocate or pass on; Janie and Mary Katharine have made it their mission to find a new home for pre-loved books. Stone Soup’s rescued book program is one of its most beloved initiatives. Books in good condition are given away at local events like the Thanksgiving parade and back-to-school bashes. “We want these books to find a new home,” Janie says. But they don’t just take anything: They have a strict No mold, no water damage, no bad smell policy. “If a book has had its time, it needs to be recycled.” In 2024 alone, they handed out over 600 books at one event. But Stone Soup isn’t just about what’s on the shelves—it’s about what happens between the shelves. Their Books & Brews partnership with WMRA (NPR) has been going for over a decade, bringing authors and readers together in local breweries to discuss everything from regenerative farming to the legacy of Confederate statues. Mary Katharine hosts the conversations, which can draw up to 100 people. That spirit of shared ownership extends into the Stone Holder membership program. For $25 a year, readers get discounts and perks. Higher tiers even allow members to help curate sections of the store. One longtime regular who loved philosophy now oversees a philosophy shelf. “If the community has ownership over something, these efforts are more fruitful,” Janie says. This isn’t just Mary Katharine and I. This is a community effort. The community spirit is also reflected in their event offerings. “Our events range from author talks and book launches to community events such as foraging walks.”, Janie explained. “We also play host to The Writer's Well, an adult writing school. But personally, I think my favorites are the book clubs. I love to hear people's different takes on the same words.” It’s also the personal encounters that make the shop feel so alive. “My favorite experience is when a customer comes in, starts looking at our vintage children’s section, and finds something that a parent or grandparent read to them as a child,” Janie shared. “They often get pretty emotional and have a story to go along with it. It’s really nice to see that circle come together.” Perhaps Mary Katharine summed it up best: “The beautiful thing as a bookseller is that you never stop learning.” Janie’s recommendations:
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