The ABA’s Len Vlahos posted a presentation to the ABA board about how “a meaningful digital content solution needs to be our top priority and main focus for the immediate future.” For now, however, the immediate recommendations calls for “further study” through a task force; continuing dialogue with Ingram, Symtio and other technology partners; and increased digital focus in the ABA’s educational programs.Report Bookseller Rich Rennicks had an interesting blog post on the topic of how to deal with ebooks in indie stores recently that was enriched by about 40 comments. Among the laments from booksellers there is that the […]
Bookstores
More Borders Cuts: 742 Store Managers and Supervisors Nationwide
Borders is cutting “less than 3 percent” of their in-store workforce across the country, eliminating 679 jobs at their superstores, mostly by “reducing the number of manager and supervisor positions.” They note that “no changes were made at the general manager level–the top position in each store–but in the majority of Borders locations, one or two other leadership positions, such as sales managers, inventory managers, training supervisors and merchandise supervisors, were eliminated as the company resets its superstore management structure to correspond to sales volume on a store-by-store basis.” Similar changes to manager and supervision positions at Waldenbooks are eliminating […]
Barnes & Noble Buys Fictionwise
The ereading (and eretailing) landscape continues to get more interesting as BN has bolstered their quiet development efforts in digital content by purchasing Fictionwise for $15.7 million in cash. As part of this morning’s announcement the company acknowledges for the first time “the launch of an e-Bookstore later this year.” They say, “Barnes & Noble said it plans to use Fictionwise as part of its overall digital strategy, which includes the launch of an e-Bookstore later this year.” Barnes & Noble says they will keep Fictionwise as a separate business unit and founders Steve and Scott Pendergrast will continue to […]
Rave Review for Books & Books' "Retreat"
Books & Books had to give up their space on Miami Beach’s prominent retail strip Lincoln Road: “It had to go, off the mall to a patio in the back, the latest victim of skyrocketing rents and changing retail economics on Lincoln Road. In its former prominent perch on the pedestrian mall: a Diesel jeans store.” Now in the “less-visible courtyard behind his former street-front location, Books & Books owner Mitchell Kaplan has reenergized his store with an elegant, light-filled new design, a sprawling outdoor newsstand and lounging area, an expanded cafe-restaurant and — mirabile dictu — four times the […]
Borders to Close Michigan Avenue Store
Borders Group announced that they will close their big store on Chicago’s prominent commercial street in 2010. “It’s a difficult decision to close a store and we’ve done all that we can to keep this location open, but like a handful of other stores we have recently closed in cities ranging from Cincinnati to Santa Monica, this store has not met our profit objectives for some time now. In today’s economy, no retailer can afford to operate stores that do not produce the kind of results required to sustain a location, and therefore, we have no choice but to close […]
Barnes & Noble Sells Calendar Club Share, Takes Loss
Barnes & Noble has sold its majority interest in the Calendar Club to the company and its ceo for $7 million (comprising $1 million in cash and $6 million in notes). The chain will “continue to have a working relationship with Calendar Club.” BN is taking an after-tax writedown of approximately $9.7 million in their fiscal fourth quarter as a result of the sale. For 2008, Calendar Club contributed $113.5 million in revenues to Barnes & Noble, but the effect on earnings per share is “de minimis.”Release