Books & Books to Open a New Location

Florida's Books & Books, which in November opened a new location inside the Delray Beach headquarters and showroom of Levenger, Inc., will open another location in April at Bal Harbour Shops, an upscale shopping center north of Miami Beach. ABA President and Books & Books owner Mitchell Kaplan said the new store would "focus on what Books & Books specializes in: the arts, architecture, design, photography, as well as our other specialties."

The 2,000-square-foot store is under construction and is slated to open in April. Kaplan said the shopping center is the "most successful mall in the country if you measure by sales per square foot." Books & Books neighbors will include Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. The center has been without a bookstore since Doubleday closed its door years ago, said Kaplan, adding that customers have been "clamoring for a bookstore."

Over the past years, management of the mall, which is independently owned, has approached Kaplan several times requesting that he open a store branch there. He said that rents were always too high, but that recently all parties came to an agreement.

"I wasn't necessarily looking to expand, but then that opportunity came up," said Kaplan. "We're excited. We think we'll complement the other stores." -- Karen Schechner