In a small town in Oklahoma, a struggling store owner was ready to close the doors of her vintage bookstore after 30 years of operation, having seen no customers for weeks—until an unexpected visit from Hollywood icon Jodie Foster turned her fortunes around. The story, which unfolded in early May 2025, has since captured the hearts of people across the country, shining a spotlight on the challenges faced by small business owners and the transformative power of a single act of kindness. What began as a quiet end to a lifelong dream became a viral sensation, thanks to Foster’s compassionate intervention and her ability to rally support for a cause close to her heart.

The store in question, Maple Leaf Books, located in the quaint town of Stillwater, Oklahoma, had been a local fixture since 1995. Its owner, 58-year-old Margaret Ellis, had poured her life into the business, filling the shelves with rare and vintage books, from first-edition novels to out-of-print children’s classics. For decades, the store had been a haven for book lovers, hosting reading groups, author signings, and even children’s story hours. But in recent years, the rise of online retailers and e-books had taken a toll, and foot traffic dwindled to nearly nothing. By early 2025, Ellis hadn’t seen a customer in over a month, and with mounting bills and no revenue, she made the heartbreaking decision to close the store for good on May 10, 2025.

“I felt like I had failed,” Ellis shared in an interview with a local news outlet. “This store was my dream, my way of connecting people with stories. But I couldn’t keep going with no customers. I put up the ‘Closing Down’ sign and started packing up the books, thinking that was the end.” The closure wasn’t just a personal loss for Ellis—it marked the end of an era for Stillwater, a town where Maple Leaf Books had been a cultural cornerstone for generations. The news spread quickly through the community, with longtime residents expressing their sadness on social media, though few had the means to help keep the store afloat.

Enter Jodie Foster, the 62-year-old actress, director, and two-time Academy Award winner, known for her roles in The Silence of the Lambs and True Detective: Night Country, as well as her long history of philanthropy. Foster, who has been in the spotlight recently for her appearances at award shows like the 2025 Golden Globes, where she won Best Actress in a Limited Series, was in Oklahoma for a personal project. She had been researching small-town libraries and bookstores for a potential documentary, a passion project inspired by her own love of literature and her belief in the importance of community spaces. On May 7, 2025, while driving through Stillwater, Foster spotted the “Closing Down” sign in the window of Maple Leaf Books and decided to stop in.

What happened next was nothing short of miraculous for Ellis. Foster walked into the nearly empty store, her presence immediately lighting up the dim space. “I thought I was seeing things,” Ellis recalled. “Here I am, boxing up books, and Jodie Foster walks through my door. I recognized her right away, but I didn’t know what to say.” Foster, dressed casually in jeans and a sweater, introduced herself and asked about the store’s history. As Ellis shared her story—the decades of running the shop, the joy it brought her, and the heartbreak of closing—Foster listened intently, her empathy evident.

Moved by Ellis’s dedication, Foster decided to take action. She spent over an hour browsing the shelves, selecting a stack of books that included a rare first-edition copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and several children’s classics for her sons, Kit, 23, and Charlie, 26. Her purchase alone totaled $500, a significant amount for a store that had seen no sales in weeks. But Foster didn’t stop there. Before leaving, she asked Ellis if she could share the store’s story with her followers on social media, hoping to drum up support. “You’ve created something special here,” Foster told her. “Let’s see if we can get people to come back.”

That evening, Foster posted a photo of herself outside Maple Leaf Books on her Instagram, where she has over 2 million followers. The caption read, “Found a gem in Stillwater, OK—Maple Leaf Books has been a haven for readers for 30 years, but it’s closing tomorrow due to lack of customers. Let’s show some love to this incredible small business and keep its doors open! #SaveMapleLeafBooks.” She also shared a short video tour of the store, highlighting its cozy atmosphere and vintage charm, and urged her fans to visit or order books online if they couldn’t make the trip.

The response was immediate and overwhelming. Within hours, the post had garnered hundreds of thousands of likes and shares, with fans from across the country expressing their support. By the morning of May 8, a line of customers stretched down the block outside Maple Leaf Books, many of whom had driven hours to shop in person after seeing Foster’s post. Online orders began pouring in as well, with Ellis’s small website crashing temporarily due to the sudden influx of traffic. “I couldn’t believe it,” Ellis said. “One minute I’m closing down, and the next I’ve got people waiting to get in. It was like a dream.”

The customers weren’t just there to buy books—they wanted to meet Ellis and thank her for keeping the store alive for so long. Many shared stories of their own memories at Maple Leaf Books, from attending story hours as children to finding rare books for their collections. By the end of the day, Ellis had made over $5,000 in sales, enough to cover her rent and utilities for the next few months. The outpouring of support didn’t stop there. A GoFundMe page set up by a local resident, inspired by Foster’s post, raised an additional $15,000 in just 48 hours, giving Ellis the financial cushion she needed to keep the store open indefinitely.

Foster’s involvement also drew attention from local businesses and organizations, who rallied around Maple Leaf Books to ensure its survival. A nearby coffee shop offered to host joint events, while the Stillwater Public Library pledged to partner with the store for future reading programs. The town’s mayor even visited to personally thank Ellis and Foster, announcing plans to designate Maple Leaf Books as a historical landmark to protect its legacy.

For Foster, the act of helping Ellis was a natural extension of her commitment to community and education. She has a long history of philanthropy, notably her support for The Trevor Project, a crisis intervention service for LGBTQ+ youth, to which she became the first major donor in 1994 and made the organization’s largest donation in 2007. In a recent interview at the 2025 SAG Awards, where she was accompanied by her son Charlie, Foster spoke about the importance of community spaces, a value she reiterated in her Golden Globes acceptance speech: “Having a community around you is what makes everything possible.” Her actions in Stillwater reflect that ethos, showing how even a small gesture from a high-profile figure can create a ripple effect of positive change.

The story of Maple Leaf Books has also sparked a broader conversation about the struggles of small businesses in the digital age. According to a 2024 report by the U.S. Small Business Administration, independent bookstores have faced a 30% decline in revenue over the past decade, largely due to competition from online retailers like Amazon. Stories like Ellis’s are all too common, with many owners forced to close their doors after years of declining sales. Foster’s intervention has highlighted the importance of community support for local businesses, inspiring similar campaigns in other towns across the country.

Ellis, now rejuvenated by the unexpected turn of events, has big plans for Maple Leaf Books. She’s hired a part-time employee to help manage the influx of customers and is working on expanding the store’s online presence to reach a wider audience. “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance,” she said. “Jodie Foster didn’t just save my store—she reminded me why I started this in the first place. I’m ready to keep going for another 30 years.” She’s also planning a special event to thank Foster, hoping to welcome her back to Stillwater for a book signing or reading session.

As for Foster, she’s remained humble about her role in the store’s revival. In a follow-up Instagram post, she wrote, “So proud of the Stillwater community for rallying around Maple Leaf Books. Margaret Ellis, you’re a treasure—keep the stories alive! 📚 #CommunityMatters.” The post included a photo of Ellis beaming behind the counter, surrounded by customers, a stark contrast to the empty store Foster had walked into just days earlier.

The story of Maple Leaf Books is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have when they use their platform for good. Jodie Foster’s visit not only saved a struggling business but also restored hope to a community and a woman who had dedicated her life to sharing the magic of books. For Margaret Ellis, the future of her store is now bright, thanks to an unexpected customer who turned out to be a Hollywood hero. And for the residents of Stillwater, Maple Leaf Books remains a beloved landmark, its shelves filled with stories—and now, a new chapter of its own.