YORK COUNTY, Pa. — In 2004, Jim Lewin and his wife walked into the York Emporium for the first time, a stop that would change the trajectory of his life.
“So, we get in here, we buy our pile of books and Gary who was the owner at the time, we brought the books up to the counter and we told him the story, and he looks at me and said, ‘well if you’re interested, let’s talk’,” Lewin explained.
Lewin bought the store just a few months later in January 2005.
At 10,000 square feet and more than 500,000 books to choose from, ranging from history to comics, there’s truly something for everyone.
“I want people to come in and just take a look at the bookshelves and maybe go to a bookshelf that you wouldn’t normally go to because there may be magic sitting and waiting for you,” Lewin said.
The bookstore also offers collectibles and other memorabilia collected overtime.
To drum up business on weekends, Lewin started an event called “genre days,” where he would highlight a specific genre like horror or science fiction.
Lewin would often interview guest speakers, usually authors and local celebrities, during “genre days.”
With his 70th birthday around the corner, Lewin felt it was time to look for a successor.
That’s when Scott McLaughlin entered the story.
“One of my friends, actually I’m a teacher, and the guy that taught with me was like, ‘you need to go check out the York Emporium, you’ll love it’ so I go out to the York Emporium and that’s where I met Jim,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin became a dealer for the store soon after, but his involvement would grow as Lewin looked to sell the business.
“Scott came forward and we made a deal,” Lewin said.
McLaughlin officially took over the store in early April on the condition Lewin regularly visits the store.
“I’m actually kind of surprised he only said once a week because this is Jim, he likes being here and I think he feels at home here too,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin promises to keep store’s legacy alive as a new chapter begins.
“It’s one of those things that’s hard to describe but you know the feeling when you walk in,” McLaughlin told FOX43.
You can watch Lewin's full interview below: