Back in 2018, a collection of rare Stephen King books was destroyed by a water main break in Bangor, Maine.
Gerald Winters and Son is a small bookstore that specializes in selling rare Stephen King novels. They collect first editions, manuscripts, and even King’s personal letters. But after the flood, the shop lost tens of thousands of dollars of rare merchandise.
A Collector’s Dream
The shop owner, Gerald Winters, had spent 20 years accumulating an impressive collection of King’s work. In 2016, he finally achieved his dream of opening a rare bookshop in Bangor, King’s hometown and the setting of many of his novels.
His treasure trove included rare first editions, signed copies, and manuscripts. He even had signed copies of books by J.R.R. Tolkien and George R.R. Martin.
The Water Main Break
Disaster struck in 2018 when a burst pipe flooded several businesses in downtown Bangor, including Gerald’s shop. He had just moved his books into the basement so he could reorganize the shop when the flood hit.
Soon after the break, Gerald’s beloved collection was swimming in six feet of water. “I looked down the stairs and I saw the water level rising up to the stairs,” he said in an interview. “I would have drowned in the water if I tried to have gone down.”
Rare Stephen King Items Lost
Just like that, first editions, original manuscripts, and signed copies were lost forever. Seven of King’s original typed manuscripts, including “Dolan’s Cadillac,” “Maximum Overdrive,” and “The Eyes of the Dragon” were destroyed by the flood.
After weeks of sorting through the flooded basement, Gerald estimated that he lost over 2,000 books.
Saving Damaged Books
While many books were beyond saving, Gerald worked for months to salvage what he could. Many of the important works were in climate-controlled storage, and he even managed to restore some of the less damaged items.
Although the majority of the collection was lost, every book saved was its own small victory.
Not All Was Lost
But it wasn’t total devastation for the small bookstore. Several of the first and limited edition books were salvaged with no damage. They were kept in airtight, waterproof boxes and wrapped in bubble wrap.
Other rare objects, like personal letters from Stephen King and J.R.R. Tolkien, and signed copies of King’s “The Gunslinger” were recovered damage-free.
Stephen King’s Response
Stephen King himself reached out to Winters after hearing about the disaster. King, who lives nearby in Bangor, expressed his sympathy and offered support.
He spoke to the Bangor Daily News, saying, “I’m horrified. As a book lover, my heart goes out to him. I will eventually reach out and see if I can help in any way.”
Community Support Pours In
In the wake of the flood, the outpouring of support from the community and fellow collectors was overwhelming. Gerald received dozens of calls from concerned Bangor residents after the flood, offering to help in any way they could.
Gerald Winters and Son became a symbol of resilience and passion for literature, drawing even more visitors to Bangor.
The Story Continues
Gerald didn’t spend the last 20 years of his life collecting King memorabilia just to watch it fall through the drain.
Instead of cutting his losses and selling the shop, he spent months restoring his bookstore—sorting through damaged goods, restoring what he could, and searching for new rare books. He also invested in better climate-safe technology to prevent his beloved books from future floods.
The Future of the Collection
Throughout the damages, Gerald never gave up his rare bookshop dream. Gerald Winters and Son reopened their shop, and their rare books and memorabilia collection is bigger and better than ever before.
If any Stephen King fans find themselves in Bangor, Maine, they should take a stroll on Maine Street and stop by this little shop.
