After 2 months, bookstore damaged by tornado is back in business
ATHENS, Ala. (WHNT) — Nearly three months after a tornado swept through the downtown Athens square and ripped apart the CEI Bookstore, the community staple is back in business.
'It was no doubt a disaster yet at the same time just an opportunity for us to sprout and grow again,' said Lance Taylor, the Director of Operations for the store.
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The new location is on Washington Street, just around the corner from its original location on Marion.
'Since 1955 CEI has been providing things for folks here in Athens, for Christians especially and we want to keep it going,' Taylor said. 'Here we are in 2025 and it's kind of a fresh start in some ways.'
Taylor said it was almost midnight on December 28 when he was awakened by a shocking text message from a neighbor who informed him that the entire roof of the bookstore was lying in the middle of Marion Street.
Thousands of books were thrown across the floor and its brick walls crumbled to the ground.
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'It was nearly a total loss on inventory, a near total loss on electronics and computers systems and things like that,' Taylor explained.
Taylor told News 19 that there was an estimated more than $500,000 in damages to the interior contents of the store from the storm.
After months of countless hours of repurchasing and restocking, a caring community is thankful for the store's return.
'It's very good that they are staying in business because they have been around for quite a while and it's just a part of this area,' said John Donavan, a regular customer at CEI.
'People have shown that they care about us, and they want to keep doing business with us and we really appreciate that,' Taylor said.
Taylor is hopeful that the original building can be renovated for use.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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