Sheila Burns and Karen Chapman have sold Bloomsbury Books in Ashland, Ore., to Megan Isser and Dave Isser, Jefferson Public Radio reported.
Burns and Chapman have been co-owners of Bloomsbury Books, which focuses on contemporary fiction and children's books, since its founding in 1980. Denise Harnly and Nancy Peterson were also co-owners when the store first opened; Harnly moved away five years after the store opened and Peterson died in 1997.
Prior to buying Bloomsbury Books, Megan and Dave Isser worked in the documentary film and television industry in Los Angeles, Calif., for 20 years; Megan was a producer and creative director and Dave was an editor and director. In 2020 they moved to Ashland, where Dave Isser grew up, to raise their kids.
At the time, Burns and Chapman had been looking for buyers for several years but hadn't found the right candidates. Dave Isser's mother has worked at Bloomsbury Books for some 40 years, and he got his first job there in middle school. Given the family connection to the store, their love of storytelling, and their fondness for working together, the Issers began thinking about taking over the store.
In 2024, Megan Isser started working there part-time, and after she "fell in love with the bookselling world," she and her husband decided to approach Chapman and Burns about buying the store. The pair was "over the moon" and relieved that the store would stay in trusted hands.
"Dave's mom, Anita, will continue working with us," Isser told Shelf Awareness, "and we have an incredible staff of booksellers who will stay on as well."
Isser said she's been most surprised by all the "intimate micro-connections" that booksellers make with their customers every day, and "helping someone find a book to read is one of the most fulfilling interactions I have had."
Looking ahead, she and her husband hope to preserve the legacy of Bloomsbury Books while also inspiring a younger generation of readers to support independent bookstores. "Bookstore are sacred, timeless, and magical, and I am honored to be part of this wonderful community," said Isser.
The new owners officially took over on April 1.