$15.5 Million Price Tag: Pasadena’s Vroman’s Bookstore Finds New Owner After Century-Long Stewardship
Local executive Robert Hoffman, a lifelong patron, has purchased the historic shop that has been a community staple since 1894.
The iconic Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena has officially changed hands after a two-year search for a buyer. The historic shop, which has been a community staple for over a century, has found a new owner in Robert Hoffman. While the price of the book business itself is private, the physical property was sold to GD Realty Group for $15.5 million. This sale comes shortly after the forced closure of the second Vroman’s location in Hastings Ranch in 2024. That branch closed due to the inability to reach a new lease agreement and increasing occupancy expenses. The flagship store on Colorado Boulevard remains open. The new owners plan to keep it there "for the foreseeable future" according to the chief executive.
Hoffman is not a new face to the community. He is a Pasadena native whose family has lived in the area for generations. He attended UCLA and is currently the head of government relations and regulatory affairs at Advanced Micro Devices. He has a personal connection to the store that runs deep. Hoffman was born in Pasadena and has been visiting Vroman’s since his mother brought him in when he was just five years old. His connection to the city is further cemented by his grandmother, Georgia Bullock. She was a decades-long Pasadena resident and the first woman to serve as a municipal and superior court judge in California.
The outgoing owner, Joel Sheldon, has stewarded the store since 1916. He announced his retirement in 2024 after finding a buyer who aligns with their values. Sheldon stated that he was looking for "someone who shares our core values and who is committed to preserving Vroman’s as a community treasure." He found that steward in Hoffman. The new owner grew up in Southern California and understands the history of the place. "After talking with Robert and his family, I knew we had found the right stewards," Sheldon said.
The West Hollywood location, Book Soup, also saw a change in ownership. Founded in 1975 by Glenn Goldman, the Sunset Boulevard landmark was established by a group of friends. Goldman, a UCLA graduate student, raised investments to start the shop. He passed away in 2009 at age 58. Sheldon acquired the store from Goldman's estate later that year. The new owner for this location is also Robert Hoffman. The bookstore shared on Instagram that they are "genuinely invested in this community" and that the "same shelves, same staff, same WeHo icon" will remain.
The story of Vroman’s begins with its founder, Adam Clark Vroman. He was an ex-railroad worker from Illinois who moved to California hoping the sunny weather would improve his wife’s health. Unfortunately, his wife eventually died of tuberculosis. A brokenhearted bibliophile, Vroman sold off a chunk of his vast book collection to collect capital for the store. He opened Vroman’s in 1894. After his death in 1916, the Sheldon family took over stewardship of the business.
The store served a wide array of people throughout its history. It catered to traveling dignitaries, academics, and leisure readers on vacation. During the 1940s, when the federal government incarcerated Japanese Americans, an activist loaded books from Vroman’s to the Manzanar camp in the Owens Valley. The shop was also a frequent spot for science fiction author Octavia Butler, who grew up in the area. These actions highlight the store's role as a cultural beacon.
As the property changes hands, the focus remains on the future of the bookstore. The chief executive of GD Realty Group, Arash Danialifar, emphasized that Vroman’s is a "staple of the community." The long-term lease ensures the bookstore will remain a fixture in Pasadena. Hoffman’s commitment to moving the store forward while preserving its legacy offers reassurance to loyal customers. The combination of new ownership and established community ties suggests that Vroman’s will continue to thrive for another century.
First reported by LA Times: California.
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