Emily Burry Phillips, owner of Burry Bookstore, Hartsville, S.C., has announced this will be her final year running the bookshop her father opened in 1972 and she took over 21 years ago. In a letter posted on the bookshop's Facebook page, Phillips wrote:
"Now is the time for change. The year 2015 will be the last year Burry Bookstore will exist under my ownership....
"What will happen to this icon in the community? I don't know. Wouldn't it be marvelous if an enthusiastic entrepreneur showed an interest in purchasing the bookstore? With a viable downtown, new hotels and restaurants popping up, a college campus and governor's school several blocks away, and major industries in the area, there is potential for growth. But if not, Burry Bookstore will be closing by the end of the year. Wow, over 42 years. What a ride! I'm sure my parents never anticipated the number of lives that would be touched by their 'dream' and I have been honored to continue the dream myself for the last 21 years. Thank you, Hartsville, you have been so good to us!"