Bookselling: Atlantic Books To Close Seven More Stores; New Stores In LA and Danville; and More

PublishersLunch
Conshocken, PA- based Atlantic Books will close seven stores in shore towns in New Jersey and Delaware. Co-owner Mark Simon tells the Press of Atlantic City, "They're no longer profitable, and have not been for the last year or so," adding that "it becomes more and more difficult to afford the rent." In New Jersey they are closing shops in Beach Haven, Cape May, Stone Harbor, and two in Ocean City (plus their Somers Point store closed earlier this summer), and in Delaware stores in Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island will close permanently this fall. That will leave the chain with only four stores open in Stafford Township, NJ, Rehoboth Beach and Dover, DE, and North Wales, PA.
Press of Atlantic City

A Novel Idea will open in a former Waldenbooks location in Danville, IL sometime between September 15 and October 1. Owner Jackie Hickman had previously operated a store in Hoopeston, but according to the Commercial-News the store "had been closed for about six to seven months and she was considering moving it to Milford, when she was approached by mall officials about becoming a tenant."
Commercial-News

David Kipen's quirky Libros Schmibros bookstore and lending library is opening a second temporary pop-up outlet in the lobby of the Hammer Museum in Westwood. The new location has been funded by the Hammer's Public Engagement program. The standing Libros location is staffed by volunteers, and the LA Times calls the used bookstore "one of the most exciting things to happen in the L.A. book scene in ages." They also compare the store to "stepping inside David Kipen's brain."
LAT

Finally, in Australia, the 70-store Dymocks bookselling chain is adding a web-based self-publishing service, called D Publishing. As was the case with mostly-abandoned experiments from US booksellers, Dymocks is also dangling the possibility that "some authors who opt for the full service might see their books on the shelves of Dymocks bookshops." They have not announced pricing yet, and indicate the Sydney Morning Herald they see it as an appealing offering to the country's hundreds of publishers who issue fewer than five books a year as well.
SMH