In advance of Winter Institute 10, which kicks off on Sunday evening in Asheville, N.C., the American Booksellers Association announced that it added 59 new member stores from 25 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands last year. That’s up from 45 new member stores in 2013. It’s also the most new stores in a single year since 2008 and the start of the Great Recession. Another 28 stores changed hands and were sold to new owners in 2014, up from 14 in 2013.

Events
The African American Children’s Book Fair in Philly: Close to a dozen authors and illustrators, including Jerry and Gloria Pinkney, will read and sign books at the 23rd annual event to be held on Saturday afternoon, February 7, at Community College of Philadelphia. Admission is free.

Winter Institute Celebrates Its 10th: On Sunday, February 8, the American Booksellers Association will kick-off its 3-day long conference, which is limited to 500 booksellers.

Openings & Closings
New Store for Roslyn, Idaho: On Memorial Day Chris Martin plans to open Basecamp Books and Cafe in the town where the TV show “Northern Exposure” was filmed.

The Book Shop in Somerville, Mass., to Close: Owner Gil Barbosa announced “with a heavy heart” that he’s closing his three-year-old new and used bookstore at the end of the month.

Other News
ABA Gained 59 New Member Stores in 2014: Last year marked the most new member stores stores since 2008. The figure includes nine are branches, or satellites, of existing stores and five used bookstores.

BookBar Named One of Denver’s Best Bars: 5280 magazine called this bookstore/bar “a swoon-worthy 21st-century sipping spot.”

Writer’s Block Bookstore Thrives: “I think the future of the community bookstores is good,” said Lauren Zimmerman, who opened the Orlando bookstore last October, after a career as an attorney and working on a degree in social work.

Bay Area Rivals New York as Bookstore Mecca: Based on stats from a map of disappearing New York stores created by The Gothamist, the San Francisco Chronicle contends that “San Francisco has as many independent bookstores, per capita, as the publishing capital of the world.”

Book Sales Turnaround in New Zealand: It’s not just U.S. booksellers who are experiencing sales growth. New Zealanders are starting 15% up for 2015 after the strongest year in six years in 2014.