In retrospect, 1991 was an interesting year for the Foster family. Susan's son, Evan, decided to go live with his dad for a year so she made plans to travel around the world.

Her Mom, Carol, was just setting up Books 'N' Bears in Florence so she spent a couple months helping out there before leaving the country.

So when Carol was ready to retire in 2002, Susan already knew she loved that book store and wanted to keep it in the family. So she went to Florence and has been at Books 'N' Bears ever since.

Back in 1990 Carol Foster was ready for a change. She had been working as a librarian in the Sacramento area for years after raising four kids.

She took a vactation with her friend Betty to Honeyman State Park, a place she remembered fondly from her childhood. There she discovered Florence, Oregon. She thought it would be a good place to open a book store.

Much to the surprise of those four kids, she quit her job, sold her house, and got a nice little beach house in Florence and opened Books 'N' Bears in Old Town by the river.