Betts Bookstore

David, from Betts Bookstore has a very heartfelt / newsy post on his website. As he states below, David is not just businessman running a bookstore, he's a fan and constant reader of Stephen King. I'm re-posting it with his permission.
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For me, Betts has always proven to be the best place to buy Stephen King -- anything! From books to magazines to magnets, they have it all. Since they know the market, what prices ought to be, and what really is valuable and what isn't. For me, they've proven reliable.
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A FEW WORDS FROM DAVID
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As the new owner of Betts Books, I thought I would share my story/background with you.
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I have been a Stephen King fan and Constant Reader for a significant portion of my life and an avid collector of his works for 15 years. I purchased a first edition copy of the 1978 version of The Stand from Betts as my first King collectible and have not looked back since. Up until recently, I was fortunate enough to have a great job that afforded me the privilege of feeding my “collectors bug.” Over the years, I have amassed a personal collection that I am proud of and have met and become friends with many other collectors as well as people who are well known in the community, such as renowned artists Michael Whelan and Jae Lee. The Dark Tower series is perhaps my personal favorite, and I have been fortunate to add many Dark Tower books (as well as other King novels) to my collection that have original art drawn into the books by the artist. These sketches are referred to as remarques, and I have posted pictures of two that Michael Whelan did for me in copies of The Gunslinger (see images above). I think Michael inspired some other artists into doing remarques, because both Ned Dameron (The Waste Lands) and Don Maitz (Desperation) have recently done several remarques which have been sold to collectors.
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I also recently had the honor of being a model for Michael Whelan in the new artwork he did for Stephen King’s Discordia project which launched in early December at www.stephenking.com. I am the new face of Father Callahan.
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My purchase of Betts Books last December came about in an unexpected way. Last March, like millions of other Americans, I was laid off of my job. For the last 18 years, I have been a research analyst for an overseas bank. Finding new work in the Financial Services industry has been difficult to say the least, so last fall, when Stu decided to try to sell Betts (or close it down if no buyer stepped forward), my family was supportive of my acquiring the business. Sadly, the store in Bangor was closed and I have relocated the business to Connecticut. I am committed in my heart and soul to continuing the service and high level of trust and integrity that you all expect from Betts.
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That said, I still must find additional work to support my wife and three children in our home. Times are still tough for many people, myself included. That is just the reality of the situation today, but that will not prevent me from providing to all of you the best service, new inventory, and the most care I can offer. Thank you loyal customers for supporting Betts Books in the past, present and future.
David, http://www.bettsbooks.com/w95020ai.html#girl