Barnes & Noble ceo James Daunt wrote to employees with what he intended as an “extremely honest, straight-forward and unvarnished representation of the situation.” Cutbacks are already underway at the head office, both in personnel and expenses, as part of “substantial reductions in cost.” He notes, “Everything is about trying to support and sustain stores.” So far “customers are proving loyal to us and clearly appreciate that we remain open. Our sales have declined, but well within what we need to remain profitable.” Kid’s book sales “have improved” and “obviously online is doing exceptionally well” but other areas have suffered, […]
Bookstores
Status Reports: Amazon Delays Replenishment of Non-Essentials, Indigo Closes Stores, French Publishers Postpone Releases, and More
Amazon told third-party sellers in the US and EU who use their distribution centers for Fulfillment by Amazon that the company is “temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so that we can more quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers.” They have disabled new shipments and replenishment to their warehouses of other products through April 5 . The notice said, “We are taking a similar approach with retail vendors,” and that is reinforced in a general press release. (In the case of retail vendors for non-prioritized goods, they are […]
Author Donations Back A Second BINC Fundraiser
After garnering donations of over $44,000 during their first matching gift challenge, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation has secured pledges for another $41,000 in matching funds for a new round of gifts. Garth Stein, Tui Sutherland, and Amor Towles have combined their gifts for that match pool. Sutherland says, “I am so grateful for bookstores and the booksellers who have supported me — as an author, a reader, and above all as a mom of two bookworms — so we want to do anything we can to show them our love and support right now, when so many really need […]
Powell’s and McNally Jackson Have Substantial Layoffs
After closing their physical stores due to the spread of COVID-19, Powell’s Books reportedly announced temporary layoffs that dismissed roughly 85 percent of the 400 workers represented by ILWU Local 5, according to the union. Citing “the rapid, significant downturn in sales in the recent weeks and days,” human resources director Michelle Afroso wrote to employees that the store “needs to take to immediate steps to scale back the company.” She said, “If sales continue to decrease in the future, we will need to take further action. We will try to avoid additional layoffs by reducing the size of the […]
Status Reports: Bookstore Closings, Support Efforts
Along with the significant shutdown of the nation’s public libraries, independent booksellers are joining the call for social distancing and closing on a temporary basis, at least to the public, with many stores continuing to process shipments and/or make deliveries. Powell’s Books is among the most prominent to close so far, at least through the end of March, shuttering all five retail locations while continuing to operate online. New York area stores announcing closures include Astoria Bookshop, Three Lives & Company, Inquiring Minds (New Paltz), and Words Bookstore (Maplewood, NJ). Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI was among the first […]
Briefs: A New Wilkerson Book, Elliott Bay Unionizes, and More
People Liz Van Doren has been promoted to vp, executive editorial director at Highlights for Children. Forthcoming Isabel Wilkerson‘s next book, CASTE: THE ORIGINS OF OUR DISCONTENT, will be published by Random House on August 20. Her first book since the 2010 Pulitzer-winning The Warmth of Other Suns, it’s about “the human impulse to create hierarchies runs across societies and cultures.” Bookselling Workers at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle have unionized, creating the newly formed Book Workers Union, which has been recognized by management. They write in their mission statement, “We organize because our people are what make Elliott […]