Sundrop Books will soon relocate from Durant, Okla., to Denison, Tex., about 20 miles away, the Herald Democrat reported.
The bookstore will close its Durant location at the end of this month and reopen in a larger location in downtown Denison in August. Owner Tayler Batton did not give a specific reopening date but expected the move to be complete by the middle of next month.
Batton noted that prior to opening in Durant in 2022, she had actually "tried really hard" to open in Denison. At the time, however, she hit "roadblock after roadblock," and elected to open in Durant instead. Now, with her lease in Durant nearing its end, she found a larger location in Denison that had comparable rent.
Prior to opening Sundrop Books, Batton had bookselling experience at the Book Rack, a community store in Denison that closed in 2022 when its owner retired. Batton told the Herald Democrat that she'd tried to buy the Book Rack before it closed, but it never worked out.
"Bookstores are important to communities," Batton added. "Having independent bookstores accessible is more than just selling books. There are events to be had. There's a place to meet people and share book clubs and reading clubs with friends."