U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Gregg voided the results of the complicated bankruptcy auction for the Family Christian Stores bookselling chain, calling the process “at times, nothing short of chaotic.” At the same time, the Judge wrote, “While the Debtors clearly made mistakes at the auction, this court concludes that the allegations of fraud and unfairness are, in large part, unfounded.” That presents FCS with two main options: Reopen the bankruptcy auction, under the expanded oversight of the United States Trustee’s office, or, “as an alternative to recommencing the auction, the Debtors may simply wish to file a plan of reorganization […]
Bookstores
Nebraska Book Company Sells Retail Division to Follett
The Nebraska Book Company has sold its Neebo retail division to Follett, which will lead to the loss of 60 jobs at the company’s headquarters in Lincoln, NE. The sale of Neebo, for which terms were not disclosed, comes after the Nebraska Book Company announced it would close its Lincoln store next month, and enables the company to “concentrate on textbook distribution and technology support for independent college book retailers,” the Omaha World-Herald reports. Interim president and chief executive Ben Riggsby added in the announcement: “Nebraska Books Company is realizing the opportunity to shift its strategic focus to the singular […]
People, Etc.
At Ecco, Ashley Garland has been promoted to senior publicity manager. Ami Greko will start working at Penguin Random House UK next Monday, as product manager of their author portal, reporting to digital publisher Dan Franklin. She was book marketing strategist at Goodreads before relocating to London earlier this year. At Sourcebooks, Cat Clyne has been promoted to associate editor for Casablanca, their romance imprint. In addition, Skye Agnew has been promoted to associate managing editor. At Open Road Integrated Media, David Adams has been promoted to editor. Kerry Cahill has joined the Johns Hopkins University Press as sales director of the books division, […]
Buck’s Oregon Trail Leads July Indie Next List
The Oregon Trail by Rinker Buck is the ABA’s No. 1 Indie Next pick for July. The rest of the list includes two books, The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler and The Hand That Feeds You by A.J. Rich, featured in our Spring/Summer Buzz Books 2015 ebook, and also includes the following: The Little Paris Bookshop, by Nina George The Truth and Other Lies, by Sascha Arango The Library at Mount Char, by Scott Hawkins Bull Mountain, by Brian Panowich Language Arts, by Stephanie Kallos My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, by Fredrik Backman Love May Fail, by […]
Bookselling: June Picks From Amazon, iBooks Costco, Target; Independent Bookstore Day 2016
Amazon‘s “spotlight pick” for June is Jami Attenberg’s Saint Mazie and their “featured debut” is Erika Swyler’s The Book of Speculation. Their other best books of June top picks are: Aziz Ansari & Eric Klinenberg, Modern Romance Mia Alvar, In The Country Sarah Hepola, Blackout Judy Blume, In the Unlikely Event Kent Haruf, Our Souls at Night Stephen King, Finders Keepers Robert Kurson, Pirate Hunters *Paolo Baciagalupi, The Water Knife Etgar Keret, The Seven Good Years Meanwhile King’s Finders Keepers leads off iBooks‘ June fiction picks, while Kurson’s Pirate Hunters tops the nonfiction monthly selections. The full lists include: Fiction The […]
At ABA Annual Keynote, Teicher Points to “Impressive Resurgence” of Indie Bookselling
At the ABA’s annual general meeting, ceo Oren Teicher called attention to independent bookstores’ “impressive resurgence” and the association’s expanding initiatives over the past twelve months. Teicher called attention to “significant investment in technology, especially for IndieCommerce”; an expansion of Winter Institute as well as the Children’s Institute; the “successful debut” of Independent Bookstore Day; and the Indies First and Indies Introduce program. “Though we are not there yet, we are making progress on decoupling ‘endangered’ from indie bookstore!” As reported earlier in the week, ABA members now operate more than 2200 bookstores, with increased sales for 47 of 52 […]