Sharp Drop in March Bookstore Sales
Bookstore sales in March turned sharply downward continuing the decline that began in February. March sales of $929 million were 17 percent lower than the $1,126 million realized in March of last year.
Overall retail sales of $306 billion for March 2003 were 3.4 percent ahead of the $296 billion for the previous year.
March is the 14th month in a row in which bookstore sales failed to keep pace with overall retail.
2002-2003 RETAIL SALES for BOOKSTORES (unadjusted)
Martians, murder, magic, and mayhem are thriving in California. On May 10, Mysterious Galaxy, the purveyors of the aforementioned, celebrated 10 years of bookselling as San Diego's only mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and suspense specialty bookstore.