Opening a bookstore in this day and age of technology is risky business. Ronald Lundy is taking that leap with the Washington Book Store and Coffee Company on West Main Street.

Lundy’s store isn’t a new bookstore or a used bookstore, and he said he’s selling everything but the kitchen sink.

Included in his shop are new novels and possibly a historic piece of North Carolina History from a former governor. Lundy also has an early edition collection of Charles Dickens novels as well.

With nearly 250,000 books in his shop, and 5,000 of those selling for a dollar, Lundy said the Washington Book Store and Coffee Company is the fourth largest bookseller in the state. The shop’s goal is to add 300 books every month to the collection of reading material he sells for $1.

“Luckily for us there is a large portion of the community that does want a physical copy,” Lundy said. “Especially with the Baby Boomer generation-they want the physical copy.”

Lundy said he knows he won’t be able to compete with the big companies. His store has a niche, and listens to what the customers have asked for.

Washington Book Store and Coffee Company works closely with 48 libraries in the state that sell him books.

During his search for books, Lundy purchased a copy of a book potentially signed by North Carolina Governor William Woods Holden. Holden was appointed to the gubernatorial seat by President Andrew Johnson in 1865. He was the first governor in United States history to be removed from office and the only one in state history to be impeached.

Lundy currently is working on getting the book the authenticated.

To go along with his book sales, Lundy has records, comic books and a small amount of video games that he is selling.

“We have run across a few people who were really into vinyl, and they asked if we could get it, so we did,” Lundy said.

The store wants to have as many options possible for its customers.

“We wanted to do something fun in the area and have more options and this is what we came up with,” Lundy said. “We’ll eventually have live music and dessert and stuff like that.”

Washington Book Store and Coffee Company is located at 221 W. Main St.