News

Raincoast in Row With Toronto Indie
Leah Eichler -- 8/28/00

Raincoast Books, the publisher of J.K. Rowling's novels in Canada, has turned to the government to solidify its position as the holder of the exclusive Canadian rights to the popular Harry Potter books after an independent bookstore turned to the U.K. to replenish its stock. The publisher has also asked the government to prevent foreign editions of the novels from coming into the country.

Raincoast filed a motion in an Ontario court against the Toronto children's bookstore The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe after the store ordered from a U.K. distributor to replenish its stock of Harry Potter books. The court has ordered the bookstore to stop selling the U.K. edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but will allow it to store unsold copies of the novel until a final decision is made on the matter. A hearing is set for October 6. "We are pleased with the results and the reasons speak for themselves. No further comment at this time as the matter is still before the court," the publisher said.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, with two locations, had its supply of Harry Potter books cut off by Raincoast after it broke the July 8 embargo. At the time, the bookstore explained that it did not have the staff to stay open until midnight to sell the coveted novel, as the big chain stores did. No one at The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was available for comment.

Raincoast had warned bookstores that breaking the embargo could lead to a delayed shipment of the novels or a cessation of shipments altogether. The publisher has not sent any additional shipments of the Potter books to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe since it broke the embargo.

Indigo Books was also found to carry copies of the U.S. edition of Goblet of Fire after its stock from Raincoast ran out. It stopped selling the book after receiving a cease-and-desist order from the publisher.