Content area
Full Text
Recent changes in the book industry - including the bankruptcy of Borders Group Inc. - have impacted local bookstores, but not necessarily in a bad way.
That's the message that the American Booksellers Association (ABA), based in White Plains, wants to get out. Oren Teicher, CEO of the association, said the popular narrative is that independent bookstores are struggling.
"The perception is that independent bookstores either got swallowed up by the big guys - like Barnes and Noble and discount stores including Sam's Club and Wal-Mart - or found they could not compete with Amazon. But like Mark Twain once said, rumors of our death have been grossly exaggerated."
He points to sales figures. The association's 1,600 members reported an 8 percent jump in book unit sales in 2012 over the previous year.
The Village Bookstore at 10 Washington Ave. in Pleasantville is one ABA member that has seen its sales increase.
Roy Solomon bought the 40-year-old bookstore with his wife Yvonne van Cort in 2003. He said sales steadily increased until 2011.
"That January Borders...