In a revealing interview, Waterstones MD James Daunt discusses why Amazon worries him so much, his admiration for Barnes & Noble and the Nook, and much more.
James Daunt’s Difficult Task: Remake Waterstone’s, But In Whose Image?
Like Jesus, Waterstone’s MD James Daunt will have to perform a miracle to multiply the magic of his six-strong bookstore chain to feed the masses.
UK Book Chain Waterstone’s Sold to Russian Billionaire
By Hannah Johnson Waterstone’s parent company HMV announced this morning that it would sell the UK book chain to Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut’s company, A&NN Capital Fund Management, for GBP 53 million. In a surprising move, The Bookseller reports that Waterstone’s current Managing Director Dominic Myers will be replaced by James Daunt to run the bookstore chain after the deal …
Lonely Planet’s Ranking of the World’s Greatest Bookshops
By Edward Nawotka Lonely Planet has put out a top ten list of the world’s greatest bookshops, which is led by San Francisco’s City Lights Books. The top three are rounded-out by Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires and Livraria Lello in Porto. Also on the list, are several stores which we’ve covered here, including London’s Daunt Books, Shakespeare & Co. in …
Do Booksellers Promote Too Many Titles at Once?
By Edward Nawotka Today’s lead story describes some of the bookselling strategies of London’s Daunt Books. One focus of the piece is the fact that the bookstore displays just one or two titles in the windows per week, a move that has led to significant sales of certain titles. A carefully edited and curated selection of titles can be a …
The Bookselling Secrets of London’s Daunt Books
• Independent bookselling is not dead, but it takes close attention to the details — and a carefully edited selection of books — to thrive in the real world. • Selective promotion supported by review coverage and bookseller enthusiasm are the key to moving dozens of books a day out the door. By Edward Nawotka LONDON: One title displayed at …