A Letter From ABA CEO Oren Teicher

Dear Bookseller,

In just a few days, many of you will be heading to the 10th anniversary Winter Institute, and we at ABA are thrilled that you will be joining us to celebrate in Asheville.

For me — and, I’d venture, for many of you — it is hard to believe that 10 years have passed since we gathered in Long Beach, California, for the first Winter Institute. And, as I’m sure you will agree, our world is far different from what it was in 2006.

A decade ago, independent bookstores were laboring to respond to the massive explosion in the amount of square feet devoted to the retail sale of books, let alone the burgeoning growth of the Internet. A decade ago, very few people understood the enormous power of the localism movement. A decade ago, far more stores were closing than opening, and ABA membership had reached its lowest levels in 50 years. In 2006, many indie bookstores were uncertain about their long-term viability.

Ten years later, much has changed.

And, though ABA never minimizes the challenges independent booksellers continue to face every day, the resurgence surrounding indie bookselling is real. This past holiday season, sales across the network of ABA member stores grew, and many stores reported that they had the best year in their history. We know every bookstore didn’t see gains, but every metric we can apply shows a far-improved environment for our members. And as you’ll read elsewhere in today’s BTW, in 2014 ABA welcomed 59 indie bookstores that opened in 25 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the largest number of new stores joining ABA in a single year since the Great Recession started in 2008. In another sign of the health of independent bookstores, last year 28 established ABA member businesses were bought by new owners.

I know this has happened because of all of you. You’ve worked hard; you’ve been entrepreneurial and innovative; and, most importantly, you’ve never lost sight of your role to put the right book in your customers’ hands. You have every reason to celebrate!

I can’t wait to see you in Asheville!

Sincerely,

Oren Teicher
CEO, American Booksellers Association