The bankruptcy auction of the five remaining Joseph-Beth bookstores and their inventory will be held this Wednesday morning in Cincinnati. So far, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports, co-founder Neil Van Uum is the only known bidder, but one of the lawyers conducting the auction, Ellen Arvin Kennedy, says “we are very optimistic that we will have several bidders who will want to purchase the stores and operate them as they are operating now.” Initial confidential bids, for all or part of the company, are due today. Liquidators are expected to make low bids as well.
Van Uum tells the paper, “I’ve put 25 years into this, and I’m prepared to go into this and win it.” Before being forced by creditors into a liquidation, he had hoped to reorganize.
At NAL, Jessica Wade has been promoted to senior editor.
Rina Posa has been promoted to assistant director of forecasting and demand planning for Simon & Schuster’s adult division.
IPG will handle sales outside of the comic market and all warehousing and fulfillment for graphic novel publisher NBM starting June 1.
David Ferry has won the $100,000 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement.
NYT