Amherst Books (Amherst, MA) For Sale

After 23 years of serving the Amherst community, the Amherst Books team has
decided to sell our beloved shop. Founding owner Nat Herold is nearing
retirement, and co-owner Shannon Ramsey is ready for her next adventure after
15 years in bookselling.

Amherst is a vibrant, pastoral village connected to the Five Colleges (Amherst
College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts are in town;
Mount Holyoke and Smith are nearby). We boast a loyal customer base which
includes our beloved townsfolk, as well as local academics, undergraduate
students, and seasonal tourists. We also rely on consistent revenue from many
long-standing bulk clients.

Amherst Books is renowned for its two floors of wide and deep selection of new
and used books, making it a true browser's paradise. We host many in-store
author talks and provide books for frequent offsite events in the community.
Since 2003, Amherst Books has been a staple business in downtown, and it is the
town's only bookstore. We're also proud providers of course materials for
Hampshire College and some UMass classes.

It is a profitable business with significant areas for growth, including introducing
online sales, building a more robust internet presence, and continuing to build up
the non-book inventory. Our small but mighty team of four is a key asset and we
would strongly suggest you retain them. Nat is also willing to stay on during an
ownership transition. We rent our location.

We are hoping to sell in 2026 - serious inquiries only, please! Starting price is
$400,000 for inventory and business; we’re ready to negotiate. Reach out by
email to shannon@amherstbooks.com.