Newly formed World Pub Wholesale has partnered with Quarto Publishing Group USA to become the exclusive sales force for Quarto's remainders, overstock, and hurts (damaged books). WPW will also take over sales representation for Quarto's remainders division, Book Sales.
Under the arrangement, which took shape at last fall’s CIROBE (Chicago International Remainder and Overstock Book Exposition), WPW will also expand Quarto’s remainder services to other publishers.
Jeff Press, long-time president and CEO of the now-shuttered World Publications Group, formed WPW with his brother, bargain book veteran Mitch Press. He told told PW that it was the "right time" for the move. "It just seems like a really good fit,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Press and Quarto have entered into a partnership. In 2014, Quarto took over distribution for World Publications’ JG Press proprietary imprint.
Quarto Publishing Group USA president and CEO Ken Fund said the deal will "continue to evolve Quarto’s 50 years of success in this field" and "expand our penetration in this market.”
The partnership also marks what Press refers to as the final “phasing down” of World Publications, which has ceased operations. At its height the remainder company, which was founded in 1984, had 100 employees. In an ill-timed move it expanded into a 250,000 sq. ft. facility in East Bridgewater, Mass., in 2007, just as Borders began winding down and the economic recession set in.
Seeking a way to stay in the bargain business using a new model, Press closed World Publications’ warehouse in 2014 to focus on JG Press. He plans to continue to publish through WPW. Press emphasized that he’s "excited" about this new opportunity to work with Quarto.
