At San Francisco retailer Borderlands Books, which specializes in
science fiction, fantasy and horror, sales "seem to be falling pretty
clearly into three categories thus far," said owner Alan Beatts.
Recent Releases
Customers looking for gifts for the science fiction, fantasy, and horror aficionados on their lists often ask for the latest releases that a recipient is not likely to have. Although "there is nothing I would really characterize as an incredibly hot title in the field," said Beatts, several recently published books are selling well: The Android's Dream by John Scalzi, The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven and The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross, which Beatts described as a "supernatural pastiche of James Bond."
Classics
"A lot of people like to come in and buy a copy of whatever was one of their favorite books," Beatts said, including works by authors Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov. "There's a nice and quite reasonably priced leather-bound edition of all five of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books," noted Beatts. Another perennial holiday seller for the store is The Lord of the Rings three-volume boxed set illustrated by Alan Lee, who worked as a conceptual designer on the film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy.
Sidelines
Borderlands stocks an array of sidelines that sell "surprisingly well" during the holiday season. They include jewelry; cast resin boxes, ashtrays and incense burners decorated with dragons and other fantasy motifs; and carved wooden boxes imported primarily from India. The wooden boxes are "more impulse buys," Beatts said. "It's something we carry that appeals to everyone. People who come in the store who aren't necessarily into our specialty end up buying them."
In addition to science fiction, fantasy and horror titles, Borderlands Books carries periodicals, British imports, small press titles, videos and DVDs.
Although Beatts said that it's "a little early" to gauge the mood of customers, he noted a bit of caution on their part. Recently the store has had a substantial drop in hardcover sales with a corresponding increase in trade paperback and mass market sales. "I'm also seeing a shift from new book sales to used book sales," he said, "and those two things together almost always indicate people feeling a little broke."--Shannon McKenna
Recent Releases
Customers looking for gifts for the science fiction, fantasy, and horror aficionados on their lists often ask for the latest releases that a recipient is not likely to have. Although "there is nothing I would really characterize as an incredibly hot title in the field," said Beatts, several recently published books are selling well: The Android's Dream by John Scalzi, The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven and The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross, which Beatts described as a "supernatural pastiche of James Bond."
Classics
"A lot of people like to come in and buy a copy of whatever was one of their favorite books," Beatts said, including works by authors Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov. "There's a nice and quite reasonably priced leather-bound edition of all five of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books," noted Beatts. Another perennial holiday seller for the store is The Lord of the Rings three-volume boxed set illustrated by Alan Lee, who worked as a conceptual designer on the film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy.
Sidelines
Borderlands stocks an array of sidelines that sell "surprisingly well" during the holiday season. They include jewelry; cast resin boxes, ashtrays and incense burners decorated with dragons and other fantasy motifs; and carved wooden boxes imported primarily from India. The wooden boxes are "more impulse buys," Beatts said. "It's something we carry that appeals to everyone. People who come in the store who aren't necessarily into our specialty end up buying them."
In addition to science fiction, fantasy and horror titles, Borderlands Books carries periodicals, British imports, small press titles, videos and DVDs.
Although Beatts said that it's "a little early" to gauge the mood of customers, he noted a bit of caution on their part. Recently the store has had a substantial drop in hardcover sales with a corresponding increase in trade paperback and mass market sales. "I'm also seeing a shift from new book sales to used book sales," he said, "and those two things together almost always indicate people feeling a little broke."--Shannon McKenna