Substantial changes are afoot for Daedalus Books & Music, one of the oldest remainder companies in the United States. The Columbia, Md.-based company has shuttered its wholesale business and appears to have sold its retail operations to a company based in Hudson, Ohio.
News about the closure of the wholesale operation was recently posted on the company's wholesale website. Things were not as clear about the fate of Daedalus' consumer site, which sells direct to readers. The site says shipments are on hold until February 9 while it unpacks boxes, but makes not mention of a sale of the company.
No one at Daedalus could not be reached for comment, but daedalusbooks.com listed sister websites and an address for Hudson-based catalogue brand company Universal Screen Arts.
Daedalus first opened in 1980 as a direct-mail remainder wholesaler. The company was quick to adapt to changes in the industry, launching its website for wholesale sales in 1995. It later added its direct-mail consumer site, which grew to become 60% of its business by 2013. Daedalus also ventured into bricks-and-mortar with a retail bookstore in Columbia in 2005 followed by a Baltimore location in 2006. The Baltimore store closed in 2011.
