'Great News' About Indies

Shelf Awareness

Bercu

"My time as president has been a wonderful experience. It has coincided with our continued resurgence as a channel and has seen the implementation of many of the things we have talked about for years. We have been able to see the results of rapid replenishment as it spreads to more and more of our publishing partners. We are seeing simplified co-op also spreading among our publishing partners. We are benefiting from extended dating and special offers that complement Small Business Saturday, Indies First and other seasonal selling periods. 
We are witnessing net increases in the number of indie stores, locations and new ownerships for existing stores that were just not happening five or more years ago. And sales are increasing in our stores and, of course, as a share of our publishing partners' business. 
All of that is great news, and news that I am happy to have been a part of in some way."

--Steve Bercu, co-owner of BookPeople, Austin, Tex., from his final letter as outgoing ABA president