Original owners Tom and Deb Ryan are selling Pamlico Books in Washington, N.C., to Lindsay Hall, the Washington Daily News reported.
Hall, who works as an elementary school teacher, has been in-store for the past several weeks learning the ropes from Ryan. The sale is expected to close on October 1, with September 21 being the last day that the Ryans are officially in charge of the store. Pamlico Books will have a soft opening during the first week of October, followed by a grand reopening planned for Tuesday, October 8.
"I'm so excited about all of this," Hall told the Washington Daily News. "I still have days when I can't believe I can say I own my own bookstore, so I have to give myself a pinch. I really love this community."
Initially, Hall will work part-time at the bookstore while her mother and one of her friends handle much of the day-to-day operations. Hall plans to work at the bookstore full-time by the end of the current school year. She noted that she doesn't have any major changes in the works, as she doesn't want to fix what isn't broken, but she will add some personal touches here and there.
Hall and her family moved to Washington four years ago, and once Pamlico Books opened, became immediate and avid customers. After the Ryans put the store up for sale earlier this summer, Hall was "sad to see Tom go because he had done such a good job." Eventually she decided to throw her hat into the ring; she and her husband met with Tom and Deb Ryan, and it seemed like a great fit.
The 1,400 sq. ft. store, which sells new and used books, toys, and games, first opened in June 2021. When the Ryans announced they were selling the store due to having to relocate for family reasons, they noted that the bookstore has been "a thriving, profitable business since inception."