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| Carla Cary (l.) and Clio Bruns | |
Clio Bruns and Carla Cary have purchased Spare Time Books in Paso Robles, Calif., the Paso Robles Press reported.
Cary and Bruns, friends for some 13 years, officially took over in mid-April. They've spent the past few months learning the bookselling trade and renovating the used bookstore, which opened in the 1980s. The owners plan to start incorporating new books into the store's inventory as well as hosting both online and in-person events.
"We want this place to be so much more than a bookshop, but really a community space, and we want people to spend hours here if they want," Bruns told the Press.
When they first told the store's previous owner that they were interested in buying it, Bruns recalled, he was "very hesitant at first because he thought we were about 15 years old." But after getting to know Cary and Bruns, he decided they were the right people to take over the store.
Under the handle Book Shop Besties, the pair has a significant following online, especially on TikTok. Cary noted that their followers are very excited for them, and some are supporting the store by purchasing books online.
"I think a lot of people's dreams are to own a bookshop/coffee shop combo, you know, with the shop dogs," Cary added. "It just seems so magical and it's an honor that we get to carry that on for them and hopefully inspire them to do it themselves, too, because the country needs a lot more bookshops."