Another Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop alum is opening a new store, Open Book run by Lisa Zupke–this time billed as a cooperative, supported by a $35,000 low-interest municipal loan, and located within miles of two other Schwartz successors, Daniel Goldin’s Boswell Book Company and Lanora Hurley’s Next Chapter Bookshop. “They’re definitely targeting my customers,” Goldin tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Hurley adds, “I’m just concerned that splitting the pie three ways will take all three of us out.” Open Book is selling memberships ranging from $50 to $500, and soliciting loans from wealthy individuals.MJS
Opening
Bookselling: Thoughts on the Price Wars
Brooklyn’s Greenlight Bookstore officially launches this Saturday. With many booksellers talking to local newspapers about the bestseller price wars, we decided to round up some of the remarks: “Unless those massive chains start discounting all hardcover books, the independents will be fine,” Murphy said. “We’ll just stop selling the New York Times bestsellers, and sell more of the books we love.” Liz Murphy, owner of The Learned Owl Book ShopHudson, OH “I’m tickled pink (that Wal-Mart and Amazon.com are fighting), and I’m hoping that they lose a lot of money.”Jane Kessler, owner of Appletree BooksCleveland Heights, OH “It’s a totally […]
Bookselling: Still Hoping to Finance Return of San Jose Store; UK Agents to Become Booksellers
San Jose’s independent store Willow Glen Books closed in May “because of decreasing sales and [owner Cathy Adkins] having to grapple with health issues,” but Roland Vierra is still working on a second attempt to get financing and start the store up again, in arrangement with owner Cathy Adkins. “Vierra said the owner of the building is willing to be patient while he works to get adequate financial backing to reopen the bookstore.”Business Journal In the UK, agents Sarah Lutyens and Felicity Rubinstein are opening a bookstore in London’s Notting Hill in October. They are recruiting a store manager now. […]