Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena—which the Sheldon family stewarded for more than a century—and Book Soup in West Hollywood have a new owner. Robert Hoffman, a Pasadena native who says he has been visiting Vroman's since his mother first brought him there at age five, has acquired both stores, ending a two-year search for a buyer.
The announcement came Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reported that Vroman's and Book Soup had been searching for a buyer for two years. Outgoing owner Joel Sheldon, who announced his retirement in 2024, said he was looking for someone committed to preserving Vroman's as a community treasure, and told the paper he believed Hoffman and his family were the right stewards for that mission.
Hoffman spent several decades working on technology regulation and public policy in Washington, D.C., and currently heads government relations and regulatory affairs at Advanced Micro Devices, per the Los Angeles Times. He attended UCLA and has deep Southern California family ties, the paper reported. Hoffman and his family plan to preserve the stores' community roots, according to the same report.
A Bookstore Rooted in 1894 Pasadena
Vroman's Bookstore was founded in 1894 by Adam Clark Vroman, who had moved to California from Illinois, according to Vroman's own account of its history. The store describes itself as Southern California's oldest and largest independent bookstore, having served the Pasadena community continuously since its founding. After Vroman died in 1916, the Sheldon family went on to steward the bookstore.
The Sheldon family went on to helm Vroman's for more than a century, the Los Angeles Times reported. Notably, Georgia Bullock, connected to that family history, was the first woman to serve as a municipal and superior court judge in California, according to the paper. In 2009, Sheldon acquired Book Soup from the estate of its founder, Glenn Goldman, after Goldman died at age 58, the Los Angeles Times reported. Book Soup was founded in West Hollywood in 1975. Vroman's own history page similarly recounts that it bought Book Soup in 2009 after the store's owner died and the shop faced possible closure.
Flagship Store Stays Put Under Long-Term Lease
As part of the transition, Sheldon sold the Vroman's flagship property on Colorado Boulevard to GD Realty Group for $15.5 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. Vroman's now operates under a long-term lease with GD Realty Group, and the flagship location remains open in Pasadena. Arash Danialifar, chief executive of GD Realty Group, called Vroman's a staple of the community, the paper reported.
Vroman's second location, in the Hastings Ranch area, closed in 2024 after the company could not reach a new lease agreement and faced increasing occupancy expenses, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Colorado Boulevard flagship continues to operate in Pasadena.
Book Soup Promises Continuity in West Hollywood
In West Hollywood, Book Soup said it will retain its shelves, staff and identity under the new ownership, according to the Los Angeles Times. The store also said Hoffman and his family are genuinely invested in the community, the paper reported.
A 2024 Reddit thread in the r/pasadena community had already flagged that Vroman's was going up for sale after more than 100 years of family ownership, reflecting how closely locals were tracking the bookstore's future. Book Soup also passed to Vroman's after its founder, Glenn Goldman, died.
