Condemned building means book store must box up and go

Daughtry’s Old Books on Front Street in downtown Wilmington has more than 150,000 titles and only 30 days to pack them.

The store’s owner Gwenyfar Rohler found out yesterday she has to box up all her inventory, which translates to about two miles of shelf space. To relocate, the store needs about three-thousand boxes.

The building the store is in was condemned and evacuated last month around the time the Front Street improvement project started.

“I feel like George Bailey in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ I mean there are terrible things happening around me, but all day long every day I am encountering people that are like, ‘Gwenyfar, I can’t wait to help you move.’ ‘Gwenyfar call me, I’ve got a truck.’ ‘Gwenyfar, do you need a space? I’ve got a space.'”

The building’s owner is not sure how the problems started. The city and the owner have hired engineers to figure it out. Until they can provide an answer the building will be empty and won’t be fixed.

You can help Daughtry’s Old Books pack up, by dropping off boxes in front of the store at 22 North Front Street.