The French government has set a minimum fee of €3 for online book orders of less than €35, Reuters reports. France has submitted the proposal to the EU and the fee will take effect six months after it is approved. In December of last year the government passed a law requiring a minimum shipping rate — aimed to level the playing field between independent retailers and Amazon, which offers shipping as low as one cent — but hadn’t determined what the rate would be.
Bookstores
Bookselling: B&N in Bellvue, WA
Barnes & Noble will open a new store at the Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellvue, WA on September 28, while closing their store at 106 Ave NE downtown. The old store will be razed to make way for a “three-tower, mixed use redevelopment.”
People: Indigo Promotes Ruis to CEO
Indigo Books president Peter Ruis, who joined the company in early 2021, has been promoted to CEO and joins the company’s board as well. Controlling owner Heather Reisman relinquishes the leadership role and takes the position of executive chair, where she will “continue to drive Indigo’s vision and growth strategy while also remaining deeply involved in the business.” Chief customer and digital officer Andrea Limbardi moves up to president. (Limbardi has been with the company for over 20 years.) The company notes, “The Board and its Human Resources, Compensation and Governance Committee have been involved in the entire succession planning […]
Bookselling: Uncle Hugo’s, Butcher Cabin Books
Minneapolis science fiction bookstore Uncle Hugo’s has finally reopened in a new location after being burned in 2020 in the unrest that followed George Floyd’s murder. Owner Don Blyly said he lost 200,000 books in the fire, worth more than $1 million and that insurance money and selling books online helped him reopen. The new location is across the street from Moon Palace Books. A new horror bookstore, Butcher Cabin Books, owned by author J. L. Kiefer, will open in Louisville, KY this fall.
Bookselling: New Owners For Bunch of Grapes Bookstore
Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven, Martha’s Vineyard has been sold to new owners. Dawn Braasch, who has owned the store since 2008, has sold it to married couple Molly Coogan and Brendan Coogan. The Vineyard Gazette writes that Braasch is “retiring to spend more time with her seven grandchildren,” but “will continue to advise Ms. Coogan in a transitional role until she is up to speed on the business side.” Molly Coogan says she does not foresee any major changes to the store except “to expand the store’s gift selection to include more stickers and pins, items that […]
Bookselling: B&N To Reopen In Walnut Creek, CA
Barnes & Noble will reopen a location in Walnut Creek, CA on September 7. The store, which is located in Plaza Escuela, is in the shopping center adjacent to where a BN outlet closed in 2016 after 21 years in business. Thereafter, an Amazon Books opened a location in the same area in 2017, now closed following the company’s decision to exit multiple physical store businesses earlier this year. Store manager Allison Osborn said, “We’re incredibly excited to connect with readers in Walnut Creek and introduce them to this great bookstore we have created. It is to be so well […]