Beloved NC bookstore that got a ‘Super Bowl’ shoutout is closing. ‘Such sad news’
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A beloved North Carolina bookstore is closing after it received a celebrity “Super Bowl” shoutout on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”
The comedian turned to actors Tom Hanks and Sam Elliott to create an “ad” for Foggy Pine Books in Boone, a popular mountain tourist destination. The small shop said it was “flooded with orders” after the 2021 tribute.
But now, two years later, Foggy Pine Books announced that April 15 will be its last day in business.
“I have been incredibly lucky to receive the love, kindness, and support of this wonderful community I call home,” business owner Max Ruthless wrote in an April 2 blog post. “I couldn’t have found better folks to share space with and I’m truly grateful for the time we’ve had together.”
“However, for the sake of my personal health and financial wellbeing, I have to admit that I’m no longer capable of sharing my joy and love of books with others in this way. I am sorry to go and I am unable to continue.”
The store said it had worried about staying afloat before it was featured on Colbert’s show. The two-minute segment — which aired as the COVID-19 pandemic hit several small businesses hard — was on TV the same weekend as expensive Super Bowl commercials, McClatchy News reported.
“These big companies aren’t the ones who need our support the most right now,” Colbert said at the time. “It’s small businesses out there that have been hurt the most in this pandemic.”
The “high octane” video about Foggy Pine Books highlighted the store’s ordering options and its location in Western North Carolina.
Support @FoggyPineBooks just like @tomhanks did! https://t.co/jbHOXhJtGw #LSSCSuperBowlSpecial pic.twitter.com/rajl4NCDB7
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) February 8, 2021
“Foggy Pine Books on King Street in Boone, between the Baptist church and the Boone Saloon,” Hanks sang during the episode.
As the bookstore prepares to close, it said it’s offering discounts on books and contacting customers about their orders. After the announcement was posted on social media, several fans expressed their gratitude for the small business and shared their well wishes.
“Foggy Pines will be missed, perhaps more than you will know,” one Instagram user wrote.
“Such sad news, but wishing you good health and happiness,” a nearby business commented on Facebook.
Boone, home to Appalachian State University, is roughly 85 miles west of Winston-Salem.
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