About ABA

Starting on Thursday, February 21, independent booksellers across the country can pre-register to participate in Find Waldo Local 2013, a month-long community-wide scavenger hunt in July 2013 that celebrates the uniqueness, fun, and strength of local businesses.

The national landscape regarding equitable sales tax collection has shifted dramatically, according to figures tabulated by ABA.

Following publication of last week’s list of 2012 ABA member store openings, three more stores were added, bringing the total to 43.  Also added to ABA’s membership over the past year were 11 bookstores opening for business in 2011 that joined the association in 2012.

ABA is asking booksellers to share some of the creative things they have done to make their stores more successful and profitable. Booksellers’ input, via a short, online survey, will help ABA formulate the Spring Forum season’s educational component, “The Top 10 Things You Must Do Now!”

ABA welcomed 43 indie bookstores that opened in 2012 in 25 states. Among them were six branches of existing businesses and seven selling primarily used books. California is home to seven new stores; New York, five; Florida and Texas, three; and Kansas, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, two.

ABA is asking member stores to direct all Kobo-related e-mails to a new address.

ABA is inviting members to attend any of the 11 Spring Forum programs, which are being held in conjunction with the regional booksellers associations, between Friday, March 15, and Wednesday, May 8, 2013.

Hotel ABA 2013 — the Grand Hyatt New York, located at 42nd Street and Grand Central Terminal — offers a special rate exclusively for ABA member booksellers who are registered for BEA. In addition, booksellers who make their reservations before April 1, will be automatically entered into a drawing for free hotel nights, courtesy of BEA.

Booksellers should be on the lookout for ABA dues renewal notices arriving in their mailboxes sometime early next week. Because the mailing was delayed due to ABA’s move to new offices, the payment deadline has been extended to February 15.

ABA is encouraging bookstores to participate in the sixth annual post-holiday survey conducted by the Institute for Local Self Reliance in partnership with ABA and other business organizations. Last year, more than 1,800 businesses completed the confidential survey and its findings were featured in more than 200 stories in local and national news media.