Rare Book Monthly
Articles - October - 2006 Issue
What's Up and Coming with West Coast Bookstores?
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"How about the future of the book business," I asked, "where do you think its going?" "I think its okay, its going to be different. My internet sales tanked in April when I pulled my inventory from ABE because of their high prices, but it was going south before that. The book business hadn't changed for 500 years, then the internet came along and set it on its ear. In this country, especially California because of corporate paradigms, which don't translate to the used and rare book business, the cost of business is so high that unless you are doing a big volume, it's not worth the effort. The only brick and mortars that can survive are those who have established a big client base and a big internet market share such as The Strand, Tattered Cover, or Powells. Independent new book stores are going belly-up; they are really struggling. Why pay the costs to open to the public when you can do business on the Internet in your jammies."
He noted that he had been contacted by other book sellers who want to open co-ops such as the one in Grass Valley, California. "There is safety in numbers and it's like an ongoing book fair," he said. "Book fairs are more important to the real collectors and hard core book people, and to the new people who really get the bug. It's not satisfying to buy online; it's a sterile experience." Bill told me that he does about 3-4 book fairs a year and all are local in California such as Sacramento or the Bay Area.
"What about on demand books," I queried, "what do you think of those?" "There may be a niche for that sort of stuff." he answered. "The technology is pretty cool, punch in a number and it spews out a paperback on the other end. It probably helps not to have to pay inventory tax or deal with remainders or the pulper. Publishers will continue to make fine press and art books, ephemerals, and etcetera. The manuscript market will probably tank because everything is done digitally. It is great for university students who hopefully can break the stranglehold of the textbook companies who gouge and rip-off students."
I thanked Bill for his interesting viewpoint and slipped on down the aisle where I ran into Christine Volk and Shep Liams from Book Fever, used and rare booksellers who specialize in African Americana, modern firsts, poetry, sci-fi, women authors, mysteries, and kiddie lit.
