BTW News Briefs

Joseph-Beth Auction Approved, Van Uum Closes Deal for Memphis Davis-Kidd

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that on Wednesday a bankruptcy judge had tentatively approved the results of the April 20^th auction of Joseph-Beth Booksellers, and that pending the completion of paperwork, the deal was expected to close on Thursday, with the new owners taking over operations by Friday morning.

Mall-affiliated Booksellers Enterprises LLC, which bid $3.977 million for the three former Joseph-Beth stores, in Lexington, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, and the corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, “promised that customers will continue to enjoy what they always have about the store and benefit from new investment.” Planned improvements include an increased inventory and an upgrade of the store’s POS system, according to the Herald-Leader.

Gordon Brothers, a liquidator company, was the top bidder for the Joseph-Beth store in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and for the Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Memphis, Tennessee, but Joseph-Beth founder Neil Van Uum has since struck a deal for the Davis-Kidd store, without a “going out of business sale” ever occurring, said the paper. The name of Van Uum’s company is DK Booksellers, as the Davis-Kidd trademark was sold to Booksellers Enterprises, but the paper reported that Van Uum is hoping to get the rights to the name back.

Commercial Appeal reported that the Memphis store “has a new, 10-year lease with Laurelwood Shopping Center [and] plans for a major remodeling.” Van Uum praised shopping center president and owner Tom Prewitt for his support, telling the paper, “I can’t thank him enough. He’s a great Memphian. We’re going to march forward arm-in-arm.”

The Fredericksburg Joseph-Beth is being liquidated by Gordon Brothers, and the space is expected to become a Books-a-Million.

AmEx OPEN to Give Five Small Businesses a “Big Break”

American Express OPEN and Facebook have teamed up for a contest that aims to give five small business owners “the ultimate Big Break.” Entrants could win a trip to Facebook headquarters for a two-day, one-on-one business makeover and $20K to help grow their business with social media.

To enter the contest, small business owners (with $10 million or less in annual revenue) must answer a few questions and submit photos. Submissions are being accepted from April 21 through May 20, 2011.

Complete details are available on American Express Open’s Facebook page.

 Lambda Literary Awards to Honor Albee and McDermid

Three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee and Gold Dagger Award-winning crime fiction writer Val McDermid will be the special honorees at the 23rd Annual Lambda Literary Awards ceremony. The event, to be hosted by comedienne Lea DeLaria, will be on Thursday, May 26, in New York City at the School of Visual Arts Theater.

“At this year’s ceremony, the foundation has the incredible honor of bestowing its Pioneer Awards on the greatest living playwright of our time, Edward Albee, and on one of our great crime writers, Val McDermid, who will be coming to New York all the way from her home in the U.K.,” said LLF Executive Director Tony Valenzuela. “Lambda’s Pioneer Awards are important because they pay tribute to those who, through their considerable achievements and passionate commitment, have contributed to our literary community in significant and tangible ways.”

A list of this year’s Lambda Literary Awards finalists and ticket information for the awards ceremony and after-party can be found at www.lambdaliterary.org/awards.