Mary Gay Shipley in Run for Arkansas House Seat

This has been a year of transition and new challenges for the award-winning and nationally known bookseller Mary Gay Shipley, owner of That Bookstore in Blytheville (TBIB), in Blytheville, Arkansas.

In late February, Shipley announced in an e-mail that “it was a time for a change” and that it was her hope that someone would want to purchase the store and carry on the TBIB tradition in Blytheville. In her announcement she noted "I am not going anywhere and would be happy to help a new owner transform TBIB into their own vision," adding that "I believe the next few years will be exciting for independent booksellers who embrace the multiple reading formats and who are located in areas with a strong 'buy local' economy.”

What quickly became clear is that Shipley did not intend to slow down any time soon.

On Monday, February 27, she announced that she would be filing election papers to run for the District 55 seat in the Arkansas House as a Democrat. Noting to ArkansasBusiness.com. that supporters had urged her to run after she announced her intent to sell TBIB, Shipley said, “I want to take my business skills to Little Rock to serve our area. I hope to give the Delta not just another voice, but a strong voice of integrity, experience and loyalty."

There will be a Democratic primary for the District 55 seat on Tuesday, May 22, and Shipley is running against three other candidates for the nomination. There are no Republicans seeking the seat.

More information about Shipley’s candidacy is available here.