In the opening keynote at ABA’s virtual bookselling conference Snow Days, How to Imagine the Future of Bookselling, booksellers engaged in “mental time travel” to practice imaging the future of the industry. Jane McGonigal, author of Imaginable: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything—Even Things that Seem Impossible Today, discussed the benefits of imagining the future, recognized that previously unthinkable things have happened, and explained how imagining the future contributes to mental well-being and can help people “plan and prepare” what’s coming. McGonigle also walked viewers through exercises in mental time travel. In one, attendees were […]
Bookstores
Bookselling: B&N Edgewood to Close
The Barnes & Noble in the Edgewood Retail District in Atlanta will close on April 3, as the landlord has decided not to renew their lease. In an announcement posted to their Twitter, the store said, “We loved being part of this community and will do everything we can to find a new location.” The announcement goes on to state, “We proudly serve America with over 600 bookstores in every U.S. state and are actively opening newly designed stores in communities across the country.”
Bookselling: Barnes & Noble Opens New Store In Woodbridge, VA
Barnes & Noble is opening new bookstore in Woodbridge, VA today, at Stonebridge in Potomac Town Center. The new store features “a café, large book rooms, stationery, puzzles, board games, and toys.” B&N ceo James Daunt said, “We are so thrilled to open our first store here in Woodbridge. It is especially fitting that one of our first new stores of 2022 is in a brand-new market for Barnes & Noble. As we evaluated where to open new stores, Woodbridge truly stood out, and we are excited to start this new chapter of bookselling.”
Amazon to Close Physical Bookstores
Amazon announced they would close all of their physical bookstores, as well as pop-up shops and home goods stores, in the US and UK. An Amazon spokesperson said: “We’ve decided to close our Amazon 4-star, Books, and Pop Up stores, and focus more on our Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go, and Amazon Style stores and our Just Walk Out technology. We remain committed to building great, long-term physical retail experiences and technologies, and we’re working closely with our affected employees to help them find new roles within Amazon.” Employees who do not stay with Amazon will be given […]
Waterstones to Acquire Blackwell’s
Waterstones announced on Monday that it has entered a deal to acquire academic and specialist bookstore chain Blackwell’s, for an undisclosed sum, with funds advised by Elliott Advisors. Blackwell’s, which has 18 shops across the UK and operates Heffers in Cambridge, has been family-owned since 1879. The acquisition now brings Blackwell’s under the same ownership as Barnes & Noble and UK bookshop Foyles. “Blackwell’s and Heffers are amongst the most illustrious names in bookselling, a legacy for which we have the utmost respect,” Waterstones’ managing director James Daunt said. “We greatly look forward to working alongside the booksellers at Blackwell’s […]
Waterstones Reportedly Close to Deal with Blackwell’s
Waterstones is days away from finalizing a deal to acquire Blackwell’s, the Financial Times reports. A source says that the deal is expected to be in the “low, single-digit millions,” and it would likely be subject to regulatory approval. Blackwell’s ceo David Prescott “said the company was still in exclusive talks with a prospective buyer.” Like Foyles, which was bought by Waterstones in 2018, Blackwell’s will remain its own brand. Waterstones is owned by Elliott Advisors, which purchased Barnes & Noble in 2019.