Ingram, Bookazine Move To Fill B&T Retail Void

With Baker & Taylor moving out of trade book retail, it’s been a busy summer for Ingram and Bookazine

In May, book distributor Baker & Taylor announced it would close it retail wholesaling business to focus on the public and school library market. That move is now largely completed, and independent booksellers, wholesalers, and publishers have meanwhile developed plans to ensure that stores receive quick replenishment of titles and uninterrupted wholesaling services in the upcoming fall and holiday seasons.

“Ingram and Bookazine have been busy since May,” reports Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly editorial director.

According to Milliot, Shawn Everson, Ingram’s chief commercial officer, admitted, “We did not have the typical slow May and June.”

“Everson said the company has signed up about 900 new accounts since the B&T announcement, including a large number of smaller stores as well as a good number of comics stores,” Milliot tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally.

Bookazine chief operating officer Richard Kallman also told Milliot that the New Jersey-based wholesaler has signed “hundreds” of new accounts since May, with the greatest number coming from the Midwest, West and southern US.

Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.