Book Mountain, Santa Fe, N.Mex., which was put up "for sale" (for free) last year by owner Peggy Frank, has found a "buyer." According to KRQE, Nathan Center is the new owner of the bookstore, which sells used and new books.
When Frank, who co-founded the store in 1980, announced in July that she would give away the store, she cited her age and health as reasons for the decision, saying, "My health is not going to get any better. At age 83, we don't really get better."
Some 300 people expressed interest in taking over the store. Center, who visited the store soon after Frank's announcement, stood out. "This guy walks in and he looks around and says what can I do for you, and it wasn't about him," Frank said. "It was about me and the bookstore." KRQE said she liked "his sense of humor, and his care for customers and books are what ultimately landed him the spot." She added, "This is what he wants to do and he's not terribly old but he's not really young either, so he has some maturity behind him."
Center is making one quick change: Book Mountain will now accept credit cards. "Peggy has refused to do business with credit cards and banks for a very long time but there's so few people using cash nowadays it's time to get with the times," Center explained. He also wants to begin selling books online.