ABA's Fiocco: 'Let's Break the Mold'
"The talk [among booksellers] is about new physical bookstore formats, new legal and financial structures, and, of course, how we can make it all work. And, yes, the change continues at the organizational level as the ABA Board begins an in-depth look at what our membership looks like today and in the future, what sorts of stores are represented, what types of people are running them, and what the resources, education, and tools are that will make them profitable and sustainable.
"We're in a great spot--our numbers are bigger than they've been in a decade--but we need to step back and see what makes up our numbers and evaluate how bookselling works in 2020 and beyond. We've got good conversations started with our industry partners, with the goal to make this bookselling ecosystem run with less chewing gum and tape on the P&L and more cash money in all our pockets. It's time the cultural relevance of independent booksellers was worth more than thank-yous and was bankable....
"Let's have an outrageously successful holiday season (or get a deserved rest if you're a summer high season store) and come out of the gate charging in 2020. Let's break the mold next year. Who says there has to be three books in a trilogy? As one of my favorite authors wrote, 'So long, and thanks for all the fish!' "
