Amy and Brian Exstrum bought Buckskin Booksellers from their dear friend Robert Stoufer and have renamed it Ouray Bookshop.

Amy grew up in Ouray and Grand Junction; first coming to Ouray as a child in 1970. She has always considered Ouray “home sweet home.” Amy went to Colorado State University and received a degree in Home Economics Education. She went on to teach in Durango, Rifle, and Telluride, and Grand Island, Nebraska.

Brian and Amy were married in Ouray in 1989, and within a year, Brian whisked her off to his home state, Nebraska, where they lived, worked, and raised a family until they moved back in January of this year. Brian retired from working in the energy field, mostly natural gas, starting in 1978. He worked in Hastings and Grand Island, Nebraska. In Colorado, he worked in Denver, Glenwood Springs, and Telluride.

Brian and Amy have 26 year old twins; Charlie and Olivia.  Charlie lives with them here in Ouray. You can often see Charlie visiting the shop dogs around town, volunteering at the library and at the Neighbor to Neighbor weekly senior lunch, and working at the bookshop. Brian retired after 40 years in the energy business and then turned around to start a new career as a bookshop owner. He is a Nebraska native who graduated from Hastings College with a business degree.