SEQUIM — One of the Dungeness Valley’s most prominent shops may be on the way out.
Because of her mother’s declining health, owner Vickie Maples has put Pacific Mist Books up for sale through the end of this month.
“I realize this is a very short time frame for prospective buyers, but I sincerely hope there will be local interest in purchasing the shop in order to retain our local community bookstore,” Maples said.
She said there have been interested buyers, but none of those deals have closed.
If no buyers step up, the independent bookstore at 121 W. Washington St. may close by April 1.
“This was not how I planned it,” Maples said. “But family comes first. And my family needs me in California.”
Maples, whose remembered spending weeks in her youth visiting her grandparents’ Dungeness Valley farm, purchased the store in November 2011, taking over from Marti McAllister Wolf, who ran Pacific Mist for 18 years.
Maples was executive director of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce before leaving for California for a family emergency and then returning to take over the bookshop.
And, despite the growing prevalence of e-readers and Internet book-buying, Maples said Sequim readers have continued to support the shop, which also features a stock of greeting cards and stationery.
Pacific Mist Books will continue to be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays until April 1.
Gift certificates and “purple cards” will be redeemable through the end of the month.
The store will still be this week’s First Friday artwalk route with author Gene Bradbury as the featured guest.
Maples is also planning a garden party in the patio behind the bookstore March 29.
For more information, phone Maples at 360-683-1396.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Joe Smillie can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or at jsmillie@peninsuladailynews.com.