Free Seminar on Opening a Bookstore Scheduled for BEA

The American Booksellers Association is inviting prospective booksellers to a free, full-day “Introduction to Retail Bookselling” Seminar, on Sunday, May 22, at the Holiday Inn at 57th Street, in New York City. The introductory workshop comes the day before ABA’s Day of Education, sponsored by the Ingram Content Group, and the opening of BookExpo America.

The workshop will be facilitated by Donna Paz Kaufman and Mark Kaufman of The Bookstore Training Group of Paz & Associates. This free workshop is open to ABA provisional members and employees of ABA regular member stores.

“We are very excited to be able to join with Paz and Associates again in presenting this workshop,” said ABA Content Officer Dan Cullen. “Donna and Mark's outstanding work in helping prospective booksellers launch their retail operations is known throughout the industry.”

The full-day program will help prospective booksellers begin to budget and plan for opening a bookstore, analyze margins and sales projections, review the key indicators for a successful site location, and understand what it takes to compete in today’s retail marketplace. Participants are also encouraged to attend ABA’s Day of Education, on Monday, May 23, and they receive a free badge to the BEA trade show.

Prospective booksellers who are not currently members of ABA can join and participate in the one-day workshop, the ABA Day of Education, and BEA.

Those interested in attending the Introduction to Retail Bookselling Workshop should e-mail ABA Education Manager Lisa Winn for more details or to secure a spot.

Paz & Associates is also offering a longer, more intensive workshop retreat for prospective booksellers from September 14 - 16 at Amelia Island, Florida. ABA Prospective booksellers receive a $100 discount from Paz & Associates on workshop tuition.

Questions about ABA membership should be directed to ABA’s Member Relationship Managers Kaitlin Pitcher and Elizabeth Nichols.