Meet The AbeBooks Founders

Ten years ago, two couples - three government IT employees and a used bookstore owner - came together to write the first AbeBooks chapter. The story begins in Victoria on Vancouver Island on Canada’s Pacific coast – perhaps the most unlikely setting for a pioneering Internet firm imaginable.

Rick & Vivian Pura

"We had chatted a few times with Keith about Cathy’s used book business and her problems in finding books. The more we talked, the more the Web appeared to be the answer. We thought if we managed to attract 500 booksellers, then we’d have a wonderful little business in Victoria and we wouldn’t have to work for the government..."

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Cathy Waters

"We’re very proud of what AbeBooks has become. I still feel attached to the company and everything it stands for. It was a bit like nurturing a child..."

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Keith Waters

“The booksellers were immensely helpful because they would quickly tell us what needed to be fixed and what worked..."

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