Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Hundreds of independent booksellers will converge on Asheville a year from now for the American Booksellers Association’s annual Winter Institute. The gathering will also bring a host of other events and will attract big-time writers and literary stars.
From the ABA on Asheville as the location of its 2015 Winter Institute:
At Friday’s breakfast, ABA CEO Oren Teicher announced that the 10th Annual Winter Institute will be held in Asheville, North Carolina, at the historic resort hotel The Grove Park Inn. The event will open with an evening reception on Sunday, February 8, 2015, and the educational program will run from Monday, February 9, through Wednesday, February 11. See more here.
It should be an exciting meeting. Independent booksellers are riding a new wave of popularity. Here’s a tidbit from the ABA’s current meeting:
To the booksellers participating in Wednesday’s Rep Picks Lunch, ABA CEO Oren Teicher said: “A year ago, when many of you braved the snows of Kansas City, we noted that in 2012 there had been almost an eight percent growth in sales nationally for independent bookstores. Here at Winter Institute 2014, I am very happy to report that we have held on to virtually all of those gains in 2013. … In 2013, we’ve seen new stores open; existing stores add locations; and many stores expand their selling space. And, happily, we are continuing to see established businesses successfully transition to new owners. These new booksellers in our midst are bringing fresh eyes, vitality, and lots of great new ideas to our industry. Sixty stores brand-new to the Winter Institute are here, and of the 500 attending booksellers, almost 200 of you are here for the first time.”
