A bookstore grows in Brooklyn; a Singapore store tests vending machines; B&N to close another New York City store, at least temporarily; and more.
Spoonbill & Sugartown Opens 2nd Brooklyn Store: Yesterday marked the first event at the bookstore’s new location at 99 Montrose Avenue, formerly the home of its “secret office/warehouse.” The new store will be open on Fridays and Saturdays to start. Spoonbill & Sugartown, Booksellers opened in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn in 1999.
Madison’s A Room of One’s Own for Sale: Majority owners Sandi Torkildson and Nancy Gear, have put the 41-year-old bookstore, one of the first feminist bookstores on the market. They are prepared to wait to get the right buyer for the store, which dose over $1 million in annual sales. Paz & Associates MKaufman@PazBookBiz.com is handling the sale.
Seminary Co-op Asks Customers to Buy More Books: Chicago’s 55-year-old Seminary Co-op Bookstores, which includes 57th Street Books, is facing a six-figure deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30. In a letter to members, director Jeff Deutsch wrote: “If every current member bought one additional book from us this year and then convinced a friend, family member or colleague to do the same, we would double our sales and nearly eliminate our operating deficit.” Members are already heeding his call.
BooksActually Tests Book Vending Machines: On Friday Singapore got its first two book-vending machines, which contain 20 to 22 different titles from Singapore publishers, roughly 120 to 150 books. A third machine will be installed later this month.
B&N to Close Midtown Store at the End of June: Boston Properties is redeveloping the Citicorp building on Lexington Avenue in New York City, and the chain’s lease for a 5,293 sq. ft. space there has not been renewed. Barnes & Noble said that it is in discussions about returning when the construction is complete.
