Black Oak Books for Sale

by Bridget Kinsella, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 1/10/2007

The owners of Black Oak Books started the new year by posting a notice on the store Web site announcing that they are seeking a buyer for their new and used bookstores in Berkeley and San Francisco. Don Pretari said that in six months he and his partners must commit to renewing their Berkeley lease and they didn't want to wait until then to see if there is any interest in buying all or part of the business.

"We need to make the decision by the end of June whether we are going to carry on or not," said Pretari. While the stores are viable, Pretari said, Black Oak has been struggling for the past five years. "We'd like to see the store continue, and we decided to look into selling now and into all the possibilities." The owners of Black Oak Books, which opened in Berkeley in 1983, plan to use the next six months to weigh their options—perhaps even continuing as is.

In thinking about the future, Pretari said, the owners of Black Oak will evaluate changes in the business that have made it harder to be a successful independent bookstore. Like many independents, Black Oak has relied more on wholesalers and distributors for its inventory in recent years. But not ordering from publishers' reps diminished the availability of authors for Black Oak's events program. "It's not like we are not ordering the books, we are just going through wholesalers," said Pretari. At the same time, he said, the larger publishers have been pushing for 60-day payments, which affects how much backlist the store can afford to stock. "It's always been 60 days, but if you sent them something every month, it could be more like 90 and 120 days," he said. "The credit departments now have no pity."

Perhaps a shot of new energy in the form of a new owner or part owner might be just what Black Oak needs. "My main mission," Pretari said, "is that I want the store to continue."

This article originally appeared in the January 10, 2007 issue of PW Daily. For more information about PW Daily, including a sample and subscription information, click here »

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