Last month we brought you the news that a bookshop owner from Cardigan, West Wales was raffling off his business to customers at his shop. Every customer who spent £20 in store received a raffle ticket and in the end sixty tickets went into the hat.
Last week the draw was made, with Abba’s The Winner Takes it All playing in the background and the name out of the hat was of Dutchman Ceisjan van Heerden, known locally as CJ who will become the shop’s new owner.
Originally from the Netherlands, CJ now lives near Lammas and is a regular customer at Bookends Bookshop. A few weeks ago he just happened to be in the shop while a television crew were interviewing the shop’s owner and thought he’d enter, he can hardly believe his luck at winning.
30-year-old CJ intends on running the bookshop with his friend Svaen Bjorn from Iceland who will give up his job in customer service and move to Wales. The pair have been online friends for many years but have never actually met face to face. Despite the strange nature of their friendship they think they can make it work and are grateful for the amazing opportunity.
Bookshop owner Paul Morris said the feedback to the raffle has been brilliant and people have been really supportive of the idea. He’s glad to be able to give something back to the community that has supported him and his family. The shop will officially be handed over to the new owners on November 5th.
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