 |
|
| Lauren and Damian Ford | |
Lauren and Damian Ford have purchased the Doylestown & Lahaska Bookshops in Pennsylvania from Glenda Childs. The Fords have owned Hendrixson's Furniture, with locations in Furlong and Emmaus, since 1993. Lauren Ford's parents, Paul and Virginia Hendrixson, launched Hendrixson's in 1965.
"Our journey with Hendrixson's has been a journey of creating comfort and ambiance in homes," said Lauren Hendrixson-Ford, company president. "We see a natural synergy between our longstanding furniture business and the warmth that bookshops radiate. Just as we believe that the right furniture can tell a story, books hold the power to transport readers to new realms. By adding these beloved bookshops to our family, we are uniting the joy of reading with the art of designing spaces that reflect individuality."
Damian Ford, co-owner and business partner, added: "While my focus will primarily remain with Hendrixson's Furniture, the extension of our presence to include these beloved bookshops is an exciting evolution. Both Lauren and I are committed to nurturing the soul of these community gems, infusing them with the values that have defined our journey thus far."
Their daughter, Honor, has worked for the Doylestown & Lahaska Bookshops for six years. "My parents have always instilled in us not only the value of shopping locally but also the value of books. There are books in every room of our home, ones that have been read, loved, and read again. My brother and I listened to Max Lucado's The Crippled Lamb on cassette tape every night before bed as babies, learned to read with Dick and Jane, and as we got older, dutifully stood in line with our parents and siblings for the midnight release of each new Harry Potter book. The magic created by those release parties at the Doylestown Bookshop is one of the things that cemented my love of reading and what led me eventually to apply to work at the Doylestown & Lahaska Bookshops. I look forward to the chance to work alongside them!"
Glenda Childs purchased the Doylestown Bookshop in 2012 from Patricia and Phil Gerney. In 2017, Childs opened sister store the Lahaska Bookshop and has continued to grow and nurture both bookstores.
"Owning the bookshops has been everything I ever dreamed of and more," she said. "I took great care in finding a buyer who would continue the legacy of the bookshops, serving our community and their book needs in an independent and mission-oriented manner. I have been talking with the new owners, Lauren and Damian Ford, for more than five years about this possibility. I'm so happy for them and their future with the bookshops."
Childs added that she looks forward to remaining at both bookstores through the end of the year to assist with the transition. All current bookstore employees will remain on staff.