Justin Cook | The Roanoke Times

Scott Perry (right) gives lessons to Hank Pfister at the Pickin' Porch in Floyd, which has been up for sale for months.

Then: The Pickin' Porch, a Floyd music store owned by local musician Scott Perry, went up for sale this past summer.

Perry opened the store four years ago. "I love the store, but it was never anything more than a means to an end -- that I wouldn't have to drive all the way to Roanoke to make a living like a lot of people around here do," he said then.

Perry said he's selling the store because he wants to add more dates to his tour schedule and focus on his family.

Now: The store is still for sale, but Perry said he has a "serious offer to buy the inventory from the store." He declined to name the buyer or terms for legal reasons. If the deal goes through, he plans to make an announcement early next year.

There were earlier offers for the store, but for various reasons none worked out, Perry said.

Perry is also following through with his goal to concentrate more on his music. He said he plans to tour in North Carolina, Georgia, Northern Virginia and Maryland in the spring and summer with his band Porch Swing.

The band is scheduled to release its first CD, "The Back Room Sessions," in February or March.

Perry said he is also tentatively planning a solo European tour in late 2009.

"I'm definitely moving forward with what's next for me," he said.