A company controlled by Sam and Cheryl Wyly, philanthropists in
the area, plans to buy Explore Booksellers and Bistro, the Aspen,
Colo., bookstore that has been for sale since August, the Aspen Daily News reported.
The children of founder Katharine Thalberg, who died a year ago, had put the store and the building in which it is located on the market for $5.2 million. (The final purchase price was not disclosed.) For a time, Thalberg's husband, Bill Stirling, a former Aspen mayor, tried to raise money to buy the store and run it as a community venture.
The Wylys have been customers at the store for years. In a statement, Cheryl Wyly said of her husband, "Sam loves Explore and the Bistro. He finally decided he should quit just hoping that Explore would continue unchanged, and for his own quality of life, and for the quality of life of the entire community, he would invest the resources to keep it here for everyone."
One of Thalberg's daughters, Brooke Anderson, told the paper that she and her sisters wanted to be sure whoever bought the store would continue to operate the business as it has been conducted. "After we started talking with the Wylys, we felt strongly that this was a really good fit," she said. "For us to be able to turn over the reins of this institution to people who understand what it's all about is very comforting."
"You've got to hand it to the Wylys," Stirling told the paper. "They bellied up to the bar so God bless them."
The children of founder Katharine Thalberg, who died a year ago, had put the store and the building in which it is located on the market for $5.2 million. (The final purchase price was not disclosed.) For a time, Thalberg's husband, Bill Stirling, a former Aspen mayor, tried to raise money to buy the store and run it as a community venture.
The Wylys have been customers at the store for years. In a statement, Cheryl Wyly said of her husband, "Sam loves Explore and the Bistro. He finally decided he should quit just hoping that Explore would continue unchanged, and for his own quality of life, and for the quality of life of the entire community, he would invest the resources to keep it here for everyone."
One of Thalberg's daughters, Brooke Anderson, told the paper that she and her sisters wanted to be sure whoever bought the store would continue to operate the business as it has been conducted. "After we started talking with the Wylys, we felt strongly that this was a really good fit," she said. "For us to be able to turn over the reins of this institution to people who understand what it's all about is very comforting."
"You've got to hand it to the Wylys," Stirling told the paper. "They bellied up to the bar so God bless them."