Following our report from a week ago that Joseph-Beth Booksellers was closing stores in Pittsburgh and Charlotte, NC, yesterday the group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Lexington, KY and indicated that they will close another store in Cleveland and a Davis-Kidd store in Nashville. Owner Neil Van Uum said in statement, “Davis-Kidd has been an institution in Nashville. It breaks my heart to have to close this store.” Former co-owner Karen Davis was taken by surprise and “very disappointed and saddened” as well. “I think it holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts.” The company […]
Bookstores
Amazon Bows to Customer and Media Firestorm, Removes Self-Published Pedophilia File
Having encouraged an atmosphere of customer anger over issues like ebook pricing, Amazon experienced a surge of backlash over a reprehensible self-published ebook on pedophilia and reversed position, removing the book from their site. Phillip Greaves’ The Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure was posted as a Kindle ebook on October 28, and discovered by the internet–and then worldwide media–yesterday. At first Amazon tried defending the product (sorry, but it’s not worthy of calling this file a book) and generally hiding from the media onslaught, reportedly saying the company “believes it is censorship not to sell certain books simply because […]
Bookselling: Borders Partners with ShopRunner, Barnes & Noble Tests Toy Boutiques
Borders is continuing their program of scrappy imitation of competitors’ offerings through low-cost partnerships, this time joining ShopRunner.com‘s roster. The site provides the equivalent of Amazon Prime–free two-day shipping in exchange for an annual membership fee of $79–across a network of participating etailers. According to ShopRunner’s site, a similar partnership with Barnes & Noble.com is “coming soon.”Release Reuters reports on Barnes & Noble‘s test program of in-store boutiques for educational toys and games. The 3,000-square-foot prototype “play areas” have opened in recent days at five stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, “with plans to open more if the […]
Chegg Signs with the Available Partner, Borders
With Barnes & Noble College already in the textbook rental business, along with the other big college bookstore operator Follett–which partnered with BookRenter.com–Chegg.com has turned to Borders for an “exclusive partnership.” While Borders does less business with college students, the company did launch an online Textbook Marketplace powered by Alibris in July. The Chegg textbook rentals will be featured in that marketplace. Chegg raised another $75 million in financing in September (making over $160 million in venture capital, and another $55 million in debt poured into the company) and Tech Crunch says they are estimated to have $130 million in […]
Joseph-Beth to Close Two Stores; New England Mobile Book Fair Looking for Buyer
Joseph-Beth Booksellers is closing branches in Pittsburgh and Charlotte, NC. Director of marketing Chad Showalter says with sluggish forecasts into 2011, “we decided we needed to make a significant change.”Post-Gazette In Newton, MA, New England Mobile Book Fair–“the largest independent bookstore in New England”–is looking for a buyer. Attorney Steve Gans emphasizes that the 53-year-old store is strong and believes there is “pent up demand” among prospective buyers. They are working with Paul Siegenthaler at Ridge Hill Partners, who worked on the recent sales of the Wellesley Booksmith and Harvard Bookstore. Siegenthaler says “It’s a way to reach the emotional […]
NY Appeals Court Allows Portions of Amazon Sales Tax Argument to Go Forward
Both sides are claiming victory in the long-running dispute between Amazon (and Overstock) and New York state over the collection of sales taxes. A court of appeals unanimously ruled that the “dismissal of the entire complaint was premature” and portions of the lawsuit can proceed. The court found that at least portions of the New York law are constitutional, but will let the plaintiffs present further arguments over whether online affiliates are considered to “solicit business” within the state, and whether or not those affiliates are “significantly associated” with the companies’ business in New York.CnetBTW