Buxton Village Books in Buxton, N.C., "a longtime fixture in the Hatteras Island community, is set to reopen later this month following the passing of its longtime owner, Gee Gee Rosell, with family members stepping in ahead of the busy summer season," Island Free Press reported. Rosell, who had operated the bookstore since 1984, died January 29.
In a social media post on Monday, Rosell's siblings said: "Given that Memorial Day is only 3 weeks away, our operating the store is the best option for having the store open this Summer for our beloved Sister's many friends and customers. We will do our best to honor Gee Gee and her 42 years of owning the store. Come and see us!"
Day-to-day operations will be managed by Rosell's sister, Lynanne Wescott, while her brother, George Butcher III, will assist behind the scenes, Island Free Press noted, adding that Rosell's long tenure had made her "a familiar presence in Buxton, and her passing left uncertainty about the store's future in the early months of 2026."
The family said their goal is to continue the store's legacy while honoring the decades of work that made it a staple of the island community.