One Of Bangor’s Last Independent Book Stores Will Stay Open, Under New Ownership After Old Owner Passes Away

When long-time Bangor bibliophile Eric Furry, owner of Pro Libris Books on Third Street passed away after a brief illness last month, local book lovers wondered what would become of the massive collection of literature he had housed in his little shop.

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It was one of the few places left in the City where you could purchase an actual hard copy of a bound book, either hardcover or paperback.

Furry collected them from all over, either through independent sales, yard sales or flea markets. Being a fan of printed books, he always tried to keep the prices reasonable, so others could enjoy the tangibility of holding an actual item and flipping it's pages.

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At the time of his death, he had amassed more than 30,000 titles, organized and cared for over four decades, since he opened the shop in the 1980s.

According to a recent Facebook post, there was a big half-off sale of his inventory last week.

The Bangor Daily News said on Wednesday, that the rest of the books were "a day away from being sold to a wholesaler when Fox Emm and John Dixon stepped up to buy the shop."

It would make sense that these two stepped in to the rescue, as Emm is an author, with several books available on Amazon. According to their bio Emm "writes genre-defying fiction in rural Virginia or on an island in Maine - both settings are as beautiful and magical as you imagine."

It's reported that the couple, who live on Verona Island, only learned that the shop, which Furry's wife, Vera, has been running since his passing, was up for sale, and jumped at the opportunity to keep the legendary store from closing.

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While they've got a bit of a learning curve to make up for, as neither Dixon nor Emm has run a bookstore before, let alone one as eclectic as Pro Libris, they're going to adjust the hours temporarily to get their feet underneath them. But they hope to keep the vibe and spirit Furry spent 40+ years cultivating, alive in his honor.

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Starting this weekend, on Saturday, the new hours will go into effect the BDN says, until they get their bearings

Pro Libris will be closed Tuesday through Thursday during the week. It will open on Friday from 12 PM to 6 PM. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the bookstore will be open from 10 AM to 4 PM.