One of Middleburg’s stores will soon be back in business. Independent bookshop Middleburg Books was forced to temporarily close in January due to damage from a minor fire. The store says it will officially reopen on Thursday, March 5.
The fire was caused by a piece of greenery that came into contact with a candle near the cash register. The smoke and fire extinguisher foam caused the insurance company to deem the store’s inventory “unsellable.”
While it was closed, Middleburg Books says that, “Rather than simply restoring what was lost, the team used the unexpected pause to rethink the shop’s next chapter.” The reopened space will “reflect a renewed focus on curated discovery, conversation, and the quiet delight of stumbling across the exact book you didn’t know you were looking for until it found you.”
Middleburg Books is also grateful for the outpouring of community support it received. It says that, after the fire, “Hundreds of notes of encouragement arrived. Online orders poured in. Friends offered borrowed spaces. Deliveries were rerouted through garages and living rooms. And there was an extraordinary amount of coffee and chocolate fueling the team.”
Owner Mary Beth Morell says the shop is eager to get back to work helping community members find their next reads. “A bookstore is never just about the books. It’s about relationships — and we’re very ready to have ours back,” she said.
17 S. Madison St., Middleburg
Feature image of owner Mary Beth Morell courtesy Ali Caudill/ Freebird Imagery
