After nearly 28 years, Susie Fruncillo, co-owner of Lake Country Booksellers, White Bear Lake, Minn., is retiring and stepping down from her role at the 45-year-old bookstore. White Bear Press reported that the shop, which "was founded by a group of women known as the 'founding mothers,' will remain in the family; Kia (Johnson) White, granddaughter of one of the original founders, Alta Johnson, is now a co-owner."
Fruncillo, who bought into the ownership partnership in 1998, recalled that she would often walk her dog along the bike path and downtown and ran into one of the owners of the bookstore, Susie Hudson. "We used to chat once in a while, and she said, 'Well, did you know that I'm selling my part of the bookstore?' I didn't hear another thing she said. I thought, this is what I want to do."
As a co-owner, Fruncillo spent three days a week working at HealthPartners, three days at the bookstore, and one day caring for her grandchildren, White Bear Press wrote. Her sister, Roberta "Bert" Kiemiele, was also a co-owner of the store for 25 years.
Noting that at 80 years old, she is ready to turn the next page, Fruncillo said her best memories involve the interactions with customers: "They were so supportive.... We have wonderful customers and great support in the community. That's what I loved the most, and that's what I will miss."
Selling the store was a hard decision to make, she continued. "We were thinking about just selling the business and everybody was sad. And then, all of a sudden this idea came up... well, maybe Kia could run it. I felt just perfectly wonderful leaving it in Kia's hands."
White has childhood memories of the store and worked there when she was in high school. Her mother, Nancy Thysell, and her aunt, Faith Basten, remain co-owners. White worked at the store on and off until her family relocated for a career with the National Park Service. A couple of years ago, she decided to move back to Minnesota.
"It was a very cool career, but when we moved back, I was thinking 'What's next?' and it all magically lined up. I just felt like something was telling me to do this," she said. "I feel very lucky to have had that career where I got to do something I was very passionate about. And then the same with this... I'm just really grateful to get to do something that I love so much."
She has some ideas and hopes to add more events, but does not plan major changes: "I have like a lot of emotional nostalgia about this place, so we are not changing everything all at once. I think that's why people love coming here too, is because it's a very cozy place."