While it’s a common refrain that publishing is not a lucrative industry for workers, it is especially true for bookstore workers. Booksellers can make or break a book’s success, are knowledgeable about hundreds of individual products and the industry as a whole, and are a vital part of the publishing ecosystem. But they are often paid minimum wage or not much above, and even experienced booksellers often earn less than what entry-level colleagues in publishing offices make. There seems to be a disconnect between the career and the compensation—booksellers are paid like an hourly gig in what is, for many, […]
Bookstores
ABA Continues to Add Members, With Slower Growth In Locations
The ABA reported through the AP that the booksellers’ organization added 173 members over the last year. The ABA now counts 2,185 bookstore members, operating 2,599 locations in all. Forty-six new stores added over the past year reported diverse ownership. That represents an increase of 175 members — yet they only grew by 52 locations. In calendar 2023, ABA ceo Allison Hill indicated book sales look to be “softer”, though the association added 56 member stores so far, and with 18 stores closing. Separately, the ABA itself released an interesting statistic about online sales volume conducted through their Indie Commerce […]
AALA Day Keynote: Slow Progress At B&N
Tuesday was AALA (Association of American Literary Agents) day at the US Book Show, and Barnes & Noble ceo James Daunt gave the keynote, noting as usual that the chain is working to make stores more individualized, but progress is slow. Highlighting areas of weakness that the retailer still plans to address, he mentioned backlist stock and the store’s website. “We happen to have a very old platform,” he said about the latter. “It’s needs a lot of work.” Overall, the chain continues to work on empowering individual stores to arrange and restock according to the needs of their specific […]
Bookselling: More Barnes & Noble Store Changes
In New York, Barnes & Noble will open their 8,000-square-foot Upper East Side bookstore at Third Avenue and 87th Street on July 12, and a 9,000-square-foot store in the Bridgehampton Commons is expected to open in October. A BN in Lewisville, TX will close on May 21, where it has operated for 28 years, after the landlord declined to renew the lease.
Parnassus Books Acquires Hooks Book Events
Novelist and Parnassus Books owner Ann Patchett has announced the store’s acquisition of Hooks Book Events, “a provider of nonfiction book and author programs for businesses and organizational teams.” Located in Nashville, Parnassus has been a retail partner of the company since 2012, fulfilling orders for events. Hooks Book Events “serves clients across the country, including Fortune 500 companies, federal government agencies, and nonprofits.” Patchett said in a release, “I’ve worked with Perry and Hooks Book Events for years, both as an author and as a bookseller, and I’ve seen this company fill an important role in the business community. […]
Bookselling: Barnes & Noble Store Updates
The PR campaign is all about Barnes & Noble’s big “expansion” of the store base, but the actual news continues to present a more nuanced picture of stores that are being closed or swapped out, along with new locations. The latest outlet to be surrendered is in Highland Village, TX, where they are giving way for a Cheesecake Factory. A spokesperson tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “We are actively looking for a new location and hope to find one soon.” In Redding, CA, the chain will be switching locations. Unlike many other replacement stores, this one will be larger than […]