Virginia Pearce, owner of Burien Books since 1959, died last week at the age of 95.

Her long-established Burien business, the charming independent neighborhood bookstore located on Southwest 152nd Street, is one of the oldest stores in Burien.

Following her death, it will be closed or sold.

Pearce's bookstore has a cozy, old world charm which still reflects her personality. Customers can browse to melodic symphonic music playing softly in the background.

"The shop has a little of everything but specializes in children's books and always had a wonderful supply of classics," said former employee Elizabeth Desimone.

According to Desimone, Pearce could tell you about all of her books--she knew them all.

She was a real life example of Meg Ryan's character, Kathleen Kelley, from "You've Got Mail" and the nostalgic "Shop Around the Corner."

"She got to know a lot of people. Customers would keep going back as they wanted to give her the business rather than the book chains," said Desimone.

Pearce did not use a computer to record book sales or inventory but according to Desimone, she was the perfect sales lady.

"She was a unique and grand old lady whom I was honored to know," said Desimone.

Marian Floyd, who has worked at Burien Books for seventeen years, recalls that if a customer stayed more than ten minutes Pearce was making tea and getting out cookies.

When asked what she remembered most, Floyd said, "I think it was probably her just plain niceness and her graciousness. Virginia was terribly polite and gracious. She wouldn't even hang up on a telemarketer. She'd listen for ages."

Joe Cook, a long-time customer, said he learned more about Burien history from Pearce than from the Highline Historical Society, of which he is a member.

"She was a piece of walking Burien history," said Cook.

According to Cook, she knew very obscure things.

"I went in to get an Ernest Thomas Setter book written at the turn of the century, "Wild Animals I Have Known," published in 1898, and she knew of it and tracked it down," said Cook.

During college, Pearce worked at Frederick and Nelson's book department and later as a book buyer for the Bon Marche.

Pam and Guy Harper, authors of a new book, "Three Tree Point," being released on March 8, interviewed Pearce in her shop in February.

According to Pam Harper, Pearce came from one of the original Queen Anne families and in 1920, her father built a summer home on Three Tree Point. They went there in the summers and in 1940 she moved in there with her mother.

"Her place at Three Tree Point is lovely. It has glass French doors with little panes. The fireplace is most gorgeous. The chimney breast is stucco and on it is written, 'Ole King Cole is a Merry Old Soul,' from the nursery rhyme. It is faded like a fresco," said employee Floyd, who was an occasional visitor to her home.

According to Harper, prior to opening Burien Books, Pearce had a lending library at the Three Tree Point Store.

"She kept this going for three years," said Harper.

Joel Wisen, nephew to Pearce, said she loved the book business and she knew how to work it.

"She did her own thing. She was a tough lady. I'd come visit and she'd be splitting wood for her fireplace with an axe at 94 years of age. It kept her going," said Wisen.

According to Wisen, she lived under the radar. She was a very private person.

"She had two loves: her property at Three Tree Point and the book business, along with her customers and employees. When she wasn't at the bookstore she was at home working in her yard," said Wisen.

When asked about the future of Burien Books, Wisen said, "It will be closed or sold. I will attempt to sell it. It has some value to it in that everyone knows where it is."

For employee Marian Floyd, it would be the end of an era. "I can't imagine Burien without this bookshop," she said.