16-05-2025
Roanoke bookstore ‘Book No Further' seeking new owner
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Book No Further, an independent bookstore located in the heart of downtown Roanoke, announced plans to close its brick-and-mortar location on Market Street at the end of May, unless a buyer steps in.
The store, owned by husband-and-wife duo Craig Coker and Doloris Vest, opened in 2017 and has operated at its current location for more than six years.
They said they would like to see the location remain a bookstore and began searching for a new owner last fall.
'We really think Roanoke needs and deserves a bookstore, so we hope someone will take it over,' said Vest.
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Under current ownership, the shop operates with a specific focus on local authors and books highlighting the history of the Roanoke Valley and Appalachia.
But the pair is open to new ownership, putting its own spin on the store.
'We're not quitting because we're out of ideas,' said Vest. 'We certainly have a lot of information we want to pass along to a new owner that they can take and craft into what they want it to be and keep serving the people of the valley.'
Vest said that the retail book market has become a difficult one to navigate, particularly in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
'We did not do in-store events for two full years because of COVID,' she said. 'When we went back to it, we found that our attendance was way off. It has never bounced back like we had wanted it to.'
Ultimately, they were able to adapt, identifying new avenues for growth and success.
The couple wants to travel more, and with their current lease period nearing its end, they decided the time was right to step away.
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They will continue to operate the online store for a little while, as they continue to search for a buyer.
As they explore this next chapter, they consider the past seven-plus years a major success.
'Part of the fun of the job is talking to somebody and saying, 'I know what you're going to like,' and getting a book in your hand that you didn't even know you wanted,' said Vest. 'And I think we've done that.'
The store is offering a buy-one, get-one free sale on all used books, and a 20 percent discount off all new books through the end of May as it works to offload inventory.
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