We (Cortney and Eli) met our freshman year of college at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, PA. Fast forward a decade and then some, we’re married and living in Myrtle Beach. After eight years of various career paths, we finally collected enough used books and found the perfect location for The Bookworm.
Fun fact: Ophelia, our bookworm logo, is actually based on a tattoo Eli drew for me (which is now forever inked on my arm) long before opening The Bookworm was even a thought.
Cortney – Book lover, voracious reader, and hater of most movie adaptations (“his hair was brown in the book!”)
I have loved to read and been a low-key book hoarder since I was young. My favorite book of all time is Gone with the Wind, which I have read more times than I can count. My favorite genres are Mystery/Suspense and Young Adult. Other than reading (and Eli), I love my dogs, wine, and my guilty pleasure… bad television.
Eli – General business smarts, master carpenter (kind of), and beer aficionado
While Eli isn’t quite the reader I am, he has been reading a lot more since the store opened! He likes Clive Cussler, books about cooking and famous chefs, and history non-fiction. Eli is a die-hard Pittsburgh Penguins hockey fan and absolutely loves to cook. Eli works full-time as a craft beer rep around Myrtle Beach.
Our Part-time Bookworm
Rosie started working for The Bookworm in 2022. She such a great addition to the store and we’re so excited to have her as part of the team! Rosie’s favorite book is The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. She is also an amazing and talented baker! Check out her sweet treats at Have Your Cake Desserts.
The Mascots
Oliver and Penelope are our dogs and the official mascots of The Bookworm. These two rescue mutts aren’t big readers, but they have never destroyed a book, so we’re considering that a win! You can often see them used as props in our book pictures.
Our Littlest Bookworms
Charlee and her little brother Dean live in Pittsburgh and are already huge book lovers! Their favorite books are Ferdinand, Bony Legs, and The Little Engine That Could. They often guest star in our store bookstagram. Search for their special hashtags #charleethebookworm and #deandeanthereadingmachine
Our Teenage Bookworms
These are our other nieces, Amelia, Brooklyn, and Zoe who live in Maryland. We will turn them into bookworms some day! In the meantime, we will continue to buy them books every Christmas, whether they like it or not.