Owner of The Sequel Bookshop in Kearny, NE Lisa Neuheisel plans to open a temporary bookstore in North Platte from October 22 through January 15, with plans to make it permanent if sales meet expectations. “It’s just a trial,” Neuheisel told the North Platte Telegraph about the shop, which is located in a mall that once housed a Waldenbooks. “We’ll see how it goes from there.” The shop will primarily carry overstock and discounted items, but not used books. North Platte Telegraph Half Price Books will open its third location in Edmond, OK, which will be its 114th store nationwide. […]
Still More Law Firms Want A Piece of Class-Action Agency Suits, As Pretrial Conferences Loom
There have been some new developments since we reported in August on the growing number of class action-seeking lawsuits launched against Apple and the six largest trade publishing houses on the grounds that the agency model violates antitrust laws. Between August 12 and September 23, at least a dozen additional suits were filed in California’s Northern District and New York’s Southern District, each alleging “conspiracy” and “collusion” to fix ebook prices against Apple and the publishers. Of greater importance now than the volume of suits is process by which the California and New York cases are slowly towards consolidation. In […]
Lonely Planet Founders Buy Canongate’s Stake in Text Publishing
Founders of Lonely Planet Maureen and Tony Wheeler have bought Canongate’s stake in Text Publishing for an undisclosed sum. Michael Heyward and Penny Hueston, who bought Text in tandem with Canongate in 2004 and created a joint venture whereby Text also published Canongate titles in Australia, will retain their share in the company and Heyward will stay on as publisher and managing director. Heyward added that Text and Canongate “will continue to work closely together to acquire books and authors.” “Our decision to sell our stake in Text was a strategic one that will enable us to focus more of our […]
Bookselling: Stores Open in Wasilla, AK and Katonah, NY; More BAMM Stores; And More
Buy the Book will open in Wasilla, AK this November in a location previously occupied by a Waldenbooks, with staff including former Walden employees. Co-owner Maria Clark told the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman a customer pitched in $25,000 in seed money to re-open the store as an independent shop; its previous incarnation was “profitable” despite the problems of its parent company. Children’s bookstore Little Joe’s Books will open on October 6 in Katonah, NY above its sister store, NoKa Joe’s restaurant and café. Owner Jennifer Cook told the Daily Bedford that residents most wanted to see a bookstore open in their […]
Borders Website Will Redirect to BN by October 14
As part of a $13.9 million deal approved in federal bankruptcy court late last month, Borders’ website will shut down by October 14 and redirect to BN.com. Over the weekend Barnes & Noble ceo William Lynch wrote a letter to Borders customers outlining the switch — and how to opt out if need be — as well as some words about the end of what was once the second-largest bookstore chain in the country. “Our intent in buying the Borders customer list is simply to try and earn your business,” Lynch wrote in the letter, which went to more than […]
People, Etc.
Alessandra Lusardi has joined Rizzoli as senior editor for its Ex Libris imprint, dedicated to upmarket transatlantic literary fiction and non-fiction and set to launch officially in Fall 2012 after a soft launch this fall. Lusardi will acquire titles from Europe, particularly in French and Italian, as well as original titles in English. Previously she was an editor at Viking for the past nine years. In addition, senior editor Kathleen Jayes will also acquire for Ex Libris. Barbara Jones will join Henry Holt as executive editor on October 24, concentrating on acquiring fiction as well as some memoir and narrative […]