A popular horror-centric bookstore in San Antonio will soon be laid to rest.
Ghoulish Books, currently located on South St. Mary’s Street near César E. Chavez Boulevard, will close its doors at the end of June, editor and publisher Max Booth told MySA. The bookstore also houses the publishing company of the same name, which has been in operation since 2012 (first as Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, then rebranding to Ghoulish Books in 2020 to lean further into the horror genre).
“The shop is closing because I’m moving out of state, and I’m moving out of state for personal reasons,” Booth said. “The publishing company will relocate to Minnesota with me, but at this time there are no plans to re-open a new Ghoulish bookstore. Maybe one day in the far future.”
Max and Lori Booth first opened Ghoulish Books in Selma in 2023 and relocated to its current spot near Hemisfair less than a year ago, in late July 2025, “to reach the sprawling horror enthusiasts in the city.” The historic storefront featured exposed brick — and inside, shoppers could find merch, collectibles and a unique lineup of indie horror literature. When it debuted in Selma, it was San Antonio’s first horror-centric bookstore, and Max Booth had told MySA, “I think San Antonio is a city that loves strange and spooky stuff. It just has that vibe to it.”
The move to Minnesota has been on the books for a little while, as Ghoulish posted a fundraiser on Instagram to help the press “get the f*ck out of Texas and relocate to Minnesota” earlier this month. A description of the fundraiser on the Ko-fi platform reads, “After 15 years in Texas, I’m moving out of state (to Minneapolis!) at the end of June & could use help with the many costs such a life-altering decision accumulates.”
“Also bringing along my little sausage dog, Frank. Just the two of us & whatever belongings we can cram into our tiny Hyundai Kona. There are many personal, time-sensitive reasons why I must leave as soon as possible, & I’d rather not get into them, but please understand that I do not post something like this lightly. Thank you,” it concludes. The fundraiser has reached 66% of its goal with more than 1,500 donations.
So, what’s next for the retail space in a historic and highly-trafficked part of town? In another post, the company wrote, “Before you ask, the physical bookstore will no longer exist as Ghoulish Books after June. Another bookstore unrelated to Ghoulish, however, will be taking its spot.” Max Booth told MySA the name of that bookstore will be announced this summer.
Find it: 628 S. St. Mary’s St. Suite 102, San Antonio, TX 78205