Cheney's 4Ever Books closing

Store owner plans family time after March 12

By BECKY THOMAS

Staff Reporter

It didn't last forever, but bookstore owner Virginia Miller is grateful for her years at 4Ever Books.

Miller said she plans to close the used bookstore at 2722 First St. in Cheney March 12. While many local bookstores across the country close due to lack of customers, Miller is closing to devote more time to her husband, who is ill.

“We've been dealing with it for awhile,” she said. “It's reached kind of a critical mass right now.”

Miller opened 4Ever Books in the Cheney Plaza in 2005, more an enterprise of enjoyment than a moneymaking venture.

“This was never a job for me,” she said. “I actually retired from my job in California up here. This is what I wanted to do in my retirement.”

Over the years, Miller said she has developed relationships with many regular customers who would come in to trade books in and get recommendations for different authors.

“I've made friends with my customers. So many times when you go into a bookstore, it's just someone who works in there. I always tried to provide more than just that service, to sit behind a cash register and ring someone up,” she said. “That's going to be the hardest thing, to lose those friendships that I've developed through a love of reading.”

Miller encouraged her customers to stock up on books before she closes, offering 25 percent off through February and 75 percent off in March on all her merchandise.

She said she's hoping to sell her inventory in bulk, and what she doesn't sell will be given away to senior care facilities, local clubs and area homeless shelters.

“Anything that I'm stuck with is just going to go in boxes and put in the barn,” she said. “I'm hoping there's not going to be a lot.”

Miller said she will miss her customers, but family is her priority.

“I just want my customers to know how much I dearly loved everybody for helping make my dream come true of being a bookstore owner,” she said. “I don't regret one minute of it.”

Miller's 4Ever Books will maintain regular hours of Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until closing March 12. The store can be reached at 235-2963.

Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].