Bookish smells and intimate words filled the air of a local business in the west end of Huntington. In the shop, poems from local authors were on display Monday night.  Cicada Books is the newest spot in town where Marshall University students and Huntington residents can come to relax, read books, study and share poetry.

“We wanted to create a space that was doing its own thing,” owner Dawn Norman said.

The shop has organized two open mic nights for local poets to share their works.  They also had a game night last month where patrons gathered to play their favorite games while enjoying coffee at the shop.  Cicada Books offers a private space that can be used for book clubs and study groups to read or study in a more private setting than on campus or at the library.

Katie Norman, the co-owner of the shop, said she hopes these exclusive opportunities will entice Marshall students to visit.  Anybody who needs an event space is welcomed at Cicada Books, Norman said.

For people like Bill Wolford, Cicada Books’ events offer a place to share poetry in a venue like no other.

“It’s great to have somewhere that is local,” Wolford, who occasionally has to drive out of state to share his poetry said.

“It has been much more convenient coming here” Wolford said.

Wolford said he enjoys the fact that people come to these events, and both open mic nights for poetry have had good turn outs. Wolford also said Cicada Books is a good vehicle for keeping artistic value alive in the Huntington community.

“It is great to have a place where artists can come together and have a platform for their work” he said.

Emmalee Moles, a psychology major at Marshall, frequents the shop to read books, check out poems and grab coffee.

“The shop is a great place for Marshall students to escape the stressors of college for an evening,” Moles said.

Moles said she listens to local Huntington talent to support her community.

“I think poetry and stories are a great way to escape daily stress and chill out.  Cicada offers that opportunity” Moles said.

There are no new upcoming events scheduled at this time, but the Normans do plan to continue with open mic nights the last Monday of each month.  Cicada Books is located in Old Central City at 604 14^th Street, West Huntington.