Major map wholesaler East View Map Link has bought Longitude Books, the online retailer founded 13 years ago that sells books and maps based on recommended reading lists. Its main customers are travelers referred by tour companies and travel agents. Longitude has been a longtime customer of East View Map Link and is being folded into the company.
"This acquisition is about more than just economics," East View Map Link managing director Christopher Group said. "Our bookseller customers will have a built in editorial team to bolster their travel departments. They can choose to buy their books through us or get them from their favorite wholesaler/distributor. Our goal is to build better travel departments because better travel departments sell more maps."