Bookstores trying to get you in the holiday spirit

Another casualty of the slow holiday season might be bookstores, who are seeing less traffic these days as savvy shoppers borrow books from the library to save money.

Barnes & Noble reported an $18-million loss in its third quarter, which ended Nov. 1, and publishers across the country are cutting back on staff as bookstores order fewer books. (Oddly, Oren Teicher, chief operating officer of the American Booksellers Assn., told me that every time there’s a presidential election, bookstores have a really bad October).

But some bookstores aren’t going to give up without a fight. Many are pulling out all the stops for the holiday season to attract customers. After all, many members of the American Booksellers Assn. do a quarter of their annual sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Vroman’s in Pasadena ...

. . . is holding special holiday events and promotions to bring people into the stores, said its president, Alison Hill. That includes cross-promotions with the Pasadena Symphony, a gingerbread-house decorating party, kids holiday craft events, holiday bingo, alternative holiday photo ops with the Grinch and a character from "The Nightmare Before Christmas," holiday caroling and a drawing for a Vroman’s shopping spree. Check out the calendar for more info.

Many of the events and gifts are new this year, Hill said, including some pricey experience gifts such as a trip to Larry McMurtry’s Archer City, Texas, and a private birthday party in the store.

Although Skylight Books hasn’t seen much of a slowdown, general manager and co-owner Kerry Slattery isn’t taking any chances. They’ve always put out a list of holiday staff picks, but this year’s version is more sophisticated and extensive than any have been in the past, she said.

Jerome Joseph, the owner of used book shop Brand Bookstore in Glendale, is having a sale that began the day before Thanksgiving and goes through Christmas Eve: Customers will get 30% off of all books and won’t have to pay any tax. He said that things have been a bit slower than usual this year.

Among the big bookstores, Barnes & Noble and Borders are offering free shipping on online purchases of $25 or more. A Borders spokeswoman said she couldn’t discuss too many holiday specifics, but that 11 top sellers would be selling for 50% off for the three days after Thanksgiving, including a new book by Wally Lamb. Borders will also have holiday parties in some stores on Tues, Dec. 9, and will offer 40% off all DVD box sets on Dec. 1, which is Cyber Monday.

Barnes & Noble's website will also have special Cyber Monday promotional offers, including a free fleece winter throw with an online purchase of $75 or more (while supplies last). Through Dec. 24, they'll give you a third box of holiday cards for free if you buy two.

-- Alana Semuels

Photo by MorBCN via Flickr

Comments

[peteviles]

where is the bookstore pictured in the photo?

[LD]

Why, when posting a story about BOOKSTORES in the LA area... do you neglect the INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES?

A crying shame that many of the independent book stores that support your annual fete at UCLA each spring don't even get a mention. What about remembering them... they must be struggling far more than the BIG BOX bookstores like Borders and Barnes and Noble.

[dan]

the bookstore in the picture is in Amsterdam, you can tell by the maroon posts in the foreground "amsterdammertjes"

[TMH]

I agree about the independents. Let's not forget the children's bookstore Once Upon A TIme in Montrose which now is the longest running children's bookstore in the entire US. They just celebrated 42 years.

[Andrea Schwartz]

The store is in Amsterdam, the picture was taken by Mor, a Catalan artist who posts on Flickr. Great to see his work here, would have been nice to see his credit!! :D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcnbits/363695635/ is a link to his picture. There are other amazing ones there.

Andrea
Chapel Hill,
North Carolina

[Nicole]

For the record, Vroman's, Skylight and Brand Books are independents, but it is a shame to bother with the chains big box promotions as opposed to focusing on the community building efforts of the indies.