Bookseller of Year is featured speaker at book show in Atlanta

2007/03/12 06:59

Press Release from:

Spring Book Show

ATLANTA, Ga. – March 13, 2007 – The headliners at the educational session being presented for Southern booksellers in conjunction with the Spring Book Show at Atlanta’s World Congress Center on March 23-25 is the co-owner of an independent bookstore in Arizona that’s been in business for 33 years, at a time when hundreds of small bookstores have gone under.
She’s Gayle Shanks of Tempe, Ariz., who with her husband Bob and a third party, owns the 33-year-old Changing Hands Bookstore
Trade publication Publishers Weekly just named Changing Hands as the 15th annual

Bookseller of the Year.
"The enthusiasm, energy and creativity of the people of Changing Hands Bookstore is what makes me look forward to each visit," said Random House's district sales manager Ron Smith. "I couldn't be more pleased that they won. These people serve as examples of what booksellers should aspire to become."
While many independent bookstore operators have been driven out of business by competition from bookstore chains and big-box discount stores moving into their market, Changing Hands has prospered and grown.
Authors love the store and its staff. "I've toured all over and I've seen a lot of bookstores, and Changing Hands excels at catering to both readers and authors," said author Christopher Moore. "I know I'll be well represented when I show up for an event there."