A downtown institution, this nationally recognized independent bookstore was called “the best little bookshop in the Southeast” by Peter Jennings. By the mid-90’s, the owners and staff of Malaprop’s were growing increasingly concerned with their ability to compete with big box bookstores. Rumors that one of the large chains was looking at locations in downtown Asheville brought Malaprop’s to Public Interest Projects. Malaprop’s knew they needed to expand in order to compete and were interested in taking a portion of the Haywood Street commercial space in the Asheville Hotel. PIP felt strongly that Malaprop’s needed to take the entire space, but Malaprop’s was concerned that new sales wouldn’t support such a significant expansion. Public Interest Projects bet on the Bookstore and its space. A flexible lease and sliding rent scale protected Malaprop’s if sales didn’t increase to support the larger store and accommodated the cash flow requirements of the business. Malaprop’s Bookstore tripled its space, and while Public Interest received less than market rent, all of us benefit from the presence of one of this country’s finest independent bookstores. In 2009, Julian’s daughter inherited the building, continuing to offer a preferential lease. Why? Author Neil Gaiman said it best in American Gods, “What I say is, a town isn’t a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it’s got a bookstore, it knows it’s not foolin’ a soul.”