Parnassus Book Services

Serving new and used books to Cape Cod and the world since 1957

When Ben and Ruth Muse moved their mail-order service from New York to Cape Cod in 1956, they moved first to Sherman Square in Hyannis. They remained there for four years before moving into 19th century three-story building in Yarmouthport that has been the home of Parnassus Book Service ever since.

Known as Knowles General Store and built in the early 1800s, the building housed a general store for many years. In fact, during the early years of the book store, a number of customers and the curious would come in to inform us where the pickle barrel was located or where the candy counter was hidden; they did sell other things like food, soap (we still have a corner sign for their soap), and other important necessities of the day including what they called "wet goods" (liquor). For a decade or so the second floor was the home of the Yarmouth Swedenborgian Church while they constructed their permanent church across from the village green.