Booksweet bookstore, Ann Arbor, Mich., which was put up for sale early last month by co-founders Shaun Manning and Truly Render, has new owners. Louis Rhoden, Casey Thacker, Darcy Rhoden, and Del Rhoden have purchased the business and will take over operations effective July 1. The sale is a turnkey purchase of the entire shop, including all brand assets and customer accounts, as well as comprehensive training, ensuring continuity of operations for customers, bulk order clients, and community partners.
Manning said that when they announced the bookshop was for sale, "we were blown away by the response of so many interested buyers. We knew we had a great fit when the Rhoden/Thacker family started to talk about the books they were currently reading. They get excited about books in the way our readers have come to love: informed but also accessible and fun."
Render agreed, adding: "We also loved how eager the Rhoden/Thacker family is to meet our community programming partners and forge their own deep relationships. Booksweet has come to be known as a place for true community connection. When you shop here, you're investing in yourself and in each other--and the new owners really celebrate that ethos."
Noting that she has been a Booksweet customer for years and is thrilled to keep the store in Ann Arbor, Darcy Rhoden said, "It is such a special place to us. We can't wait to build upon what Shaun and Truly have created, and continue to engage within the community that we call home." A professor of communications studies at Prince George's Community College in Maryland, she will serve as a remote partner, aiding in the many behind-the-scenes jobs required at the shop.
Del Rhoden added: "Decades of enthusiasm about books is a glue that keeps our family strong. From my mom reading to and with me in the '60s and '70s, to my doing the same with my children in the '80s and '90s, to sharing books in the '00s and my children reading quotes and segments now, books create this long term-shared experience that makes us who we are. I can't wait to share that enthusiasm with the families of Ann Arbor."
Louis Rhoden, whose role at the shop will include events and community outreach, commented: "I'm excited to combine my love for fantasy books, work in the Black+ and Latinx nonprofit space, and experience in technology to help grow Booksweet and bring more great books to people in the Ann Arbor area."
Casey Thacker, who has a background in digital marketing and sales, noted: "I'm most excited to share our family's passion for reading with others. I want to keep Booksweet as a place where people can gather no matter who they are, and connect with more readers in the area."