MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
December 1-15, 2004 Edition
Independent Wholesaler
Booksource to Close
Distribution Facility
ST. LOUIS, MO./11/18/04The Booksource, thirty-year-old book wholesaler serving retail book stores in the St.Louis area, will close its retail distribution division on December 23.
The company will close its 67,000 square foot warehouse in Fresno, CA, staffed by 110 people, after having served some 300 publishers and handling about 40,000 titles.
Other units of the company will continue to operate, including the the K-12 educational market, library binding services and Peaceable Kingdom Press publishing division. The Booksource title base will be reduced to about 25,000 titles.
CEO Sandy Jaffee said that the closing was a difficult decision, prompted by high returns, increased inventory costs, and slim profit margins. Chains and independents are increasingly buying direct.
Partners/West Book Distributing in Renton, Wash. is the only general independent wholesaler remaining on the West Coast.
