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Yes, it may be the last thing publisher want to think about at a book fair known for rights deals: Remainders are one of the fastest growing segments of the book business. As publishers put more and more titles into smaller and smaller bookstores, the remainder market represents the last real chance for a book to reach a reader before it gets pulped or tossed into a landfill.
It is, perhaps, the saddest fate for a book I know…
James Crates is the sales manager of Texas Bookman, an American remainder book dealer based in Dallas and is a subsidiary of the bookstore chain Half-Price Books. Coates says his company returned to Frankfurt for the first time last year after a 15 year hiatus.
“We decided to come again because our European busienss is growing,” said Coates, “and lots of Asian buyers will only go to the Frankfurt Book Fair and not any of the remainder shows.”
The remainder business in Europe is growing, he says, in particular in countries like England, Germany and France. It may come as a surprise to learn Coates biggest European customer is not in a native English speaking country.
“It’s De Slegte, in Holland. They’ve bought the booth, so they get what I don’t sell here piecemeal today.”
Coates was still manning his booth late on Sunday afternoon even as the riiiiiip-riiiiiiip of packing tape could be heard echoing throughout Hall 8, as vendors boxed up their booths around him.
“I’ve been here in this booth all week and haven’t even left Hall 8″ said Coates, who still managed to look somewhat rested after five days on his feet. He won’t get a break either. Coates, whose suitcases were ready and waiting in a corner of the booth, is flying directly from Frankfurt to Chicago, where he’ll work the CIROBE (The Chicago International Remainder and Overstock Exhibition) which starts next Friday.
Coates personally he attends about a half dozen trade shows a year — including BookExpoAmerica and the London Book Fair — and and occassionally sends assistants to cover smaller shows. He’s already planning ahead for FBF 2009.
“Business has been been good, so maybe,” he says, “I can bring someone to help in the booth and that will give me a little time to explore.”
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