Pirates and Tigers and Books, Oh My

Spirits were buoyant as the Great Lakes Booksellers Association (GLBA) "hoisted sales" at its fall trade show at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn, in Dearborn, Michigan, from Friday, October 6, through Sunday, October 8. Booksellers attended education sessions in record numbers, publishers reported brisk business with many orders, and numerous bandanas and eye patches, a nod to GLBA's pirate theme, were noted. The mood of many attendees was raised even higher as the hometown Detroit Tigers baseball team plundered the New York Yankees in the American League playoffs.

GLBA Executive Director Jim Dana told BTW that the regional had one of its most successful shows ever: "The workshops were exceptional, with several offerings by ABA, plus some homegrown ones, ranging from ISBN-13 to handselling to making major business changes. The exhibit floor was also very busy this year, with many vendors saying they took a record number of orders."

Dana added that it was gratifying to see 37 first-timers at the show, including 10 prospective booksellers, in addition to the students at the Paz & Associates Booksellers School, held in conjunction with GLBA this year.

Nicola Rooney, president of GLBA and owner of Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor, Michigan, characterized the attendees as "an extremely happy group with a lot of energy. Attendance, especially for the education sessions, was splendid, and all vendors I spoke with had a very busy day on Saturday."

Rooney told BTW, "Our education sessions this year were very well planned, thanks to [GLBA secretary] Jill Miner of Saturn Booksellers [Gaylord, Michigan]. She pre-organized the sessions with conference calls among moderators and panelists to discuss the content and needed handouts. This worked very well but when 50, 60, and 70 people showed up for sessions, some rooms were barely big enough. That's a nice problem to have."

Three sessions presented by ABA, "Creating Killer Events," "Introduction to Above the Treeline," and "Know Your Customers: Increase Sales," were among the crowded education offerings. The ABA booth, staffed by ABA's information director, Dan Cullen, and education director, Len Vlahos, also attracted booksellers throughout the show. In a drawing from members' business cards dropped off at the booth, Jackie Harris of Under the Sycamore Tree in Grayslake, Illinois, won a color inkjet printer and entrance into the grand prize drawing for airfare to, and a three-night hotel stay at, the ABA's 2007 Winter Institute. Richard Sovine, owner of the Next Page in Decatur, Indiana, was the winner of a four-night stay at Hotel ABA in Brooklyn for BookExpo America 2007 in New York City, compliments of BEA.

"This is terrific," Harris told BTW. "I've never won anything before, and I was planning to go to the Winter Institute anyway. [If I win], it would really help. Last year's [Winter Institute] was the best thing I could have done." In addition to the Winter Institute and regional shows, Harris has attended a Booksellers School organized by Paz & Associates, all in anticipation of the grand opening of her children's bookstore set for November 10 - 12.

Harris has found the education sessions invaluable. "At last year's GLBA, I went to the session about negotiating your lease," she explained. "I went back home and renegotiated the rent, and the landlord came down one dollar per square foot and kicked in money for the build out. I know it was because of what I learned."

This year, Harris attended "Creating Killer Events" for a second time. "Even though I had gone to that session at [BookExpo America], I got more insights from a different group of panelists and learned how they managed. Otherwise I would have had to learn a lot of this the hard way."

Matt Norcross, manager of McLean & Eakin Booksellers in Petosky, Michigan, was a panelist for GLBA's "All Hands on Deck: Be a Better Bookseller," moderated by Liz Murphy of the Learned Owl in Hudson, Ohio. "[The organizers] insisted on conference calls, so we were prepared and all on the same page," he said. "The whole show was excellent -- one of the best I've been to."

Gloria Tiller, co-owner of Kazoo Books in Kalamazoo, Michigan, joined ABA at this year's show. "I've been meaning to for years," she told BTW. "We've been around for 18 years selling only used books; five years ago we began mixing in new books. Since we recently lost two of our [area] independent bookstores, we are now supplying a lot of the books for our community."

Tiller attended "The 2% Solution" at last year's GLBA show and found it was extremely helpful. "I bring this information back to all the staff," she said. "This year I attended 'Know Your Customer.' The information from that session will become the basis of a staff meeting."

Three other staffers from Kazoo Books attended the show, and Tiller explained that they spend a lot of their time reviewing what other stores are doing. "We talk and listen to other booksellers at dinner, at the receptions, and while looking at exhibits."

Tiller and her husband, James, co-owner of Kazoo Books, participated in the GLBA Quiz Bowl featuring Jeopardy star Ken Jennings. "I won't say how we did," she said with a laugh, "but we enjoyed the heck out of it."

"The whole [trade show] was excellent," said Arlene Lynes, owner of the two-year-old Reading Between the Lynes in Woodstock, Illinois. She has attended BEA twice, but, she said, "this is different -- I love the size of it. I can complete conversations with my peers. It's easier to get to know new publishing houses and meet people here."

Lynes attended many sessions, readings, and events but found inspiration in an unexpected place: "At the Booksellers Banquet on Saturday night, Danny Meyer [restaurateur and author of Setting the Table, HarperCollins] talked about bringing the 'hospitality quotient' to your business. I said to my daughter that he had just put a name on a concept I have felt very strongly. That hospitality quotient is what makes our stores like an extension of our homes. It's what is missing from most retail experiences now. What we want to do is make people feel comfortable and welcome." --Nomi Schwartz