Picture book author Jan Brett's appearance at
Wegmans Food Market in Bridgewater, N.J.,
drew a crowd of 800.

When Calvin Trillin put the average shelf life for a trade book somewhere between milk and yogurt, he wasn't necessarily advocating that books be sold in grocery stores, but most larger supermarket chains do in fact have dedicated book and magazine sections of four to 12 feet. While U.S. supermarkets may not play as large a role in book sales as their U.K. counterparts—their market share in 2008 was 2% of unit sales, according to Bowker's PubTrack service—every outlet counts in today's difficult environment. While some place the freshest bestsellers at checkout lines, Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company—which operates 444 stores under six retail banners—shelves its top-sellers, like licensed coloring books/activity books, close to other kids' favorites: cereal, cookies and juice. But wherever books are shelved, most like Maria Brous—director, media and community relations, for Publix Super Markets, which has 1,000 locations in the Southeast—view books as a convenience, part of one-stop shopping.

Grocery stores are not just relying on customers to stumble over the books. Last fall Meijer, which operates 200 superstores in the Midwest, sponsored a three-day author bus tour with distributor Levy Home Entertainment. More than 25 writers—ranging from former Young and Restless star Victoria Rowell, author of the memoir The Women Who Raised Me, to romance writer Sherry Thomas, author of Delicious—signed books at nine Meijer stores as part of the Meijer Read This! campaign.

And Meijer is using books, or rather one specific biography—of its 90-year-old founder, Fred Meijer—to mark its 75th anniversary celebration. Written by former Meijer marketing guru Bill Smith and Larry ten Harmsel, historian for the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Fred Meijer: Stories of His Life (Eerdmans, Feb.) includes the recollections of 150 people who worked with Fred Meijer. The first run of 3,000 hardcovers printed just for the company sold out in three weeks, said Smith. The book is also doing well at Meijer and other retailers in trade paperback.

Like more traditional book retailers, grocery stores also work hard to create community events. Publix held Harry Potter parties, while its stores with cooking schools do signings with celebrity authors like Food Network chefs Emeril Lagasse and Paula Deen. Generally, paperback bestsellers are most successful at the chain, while its larger stores sell health and lifestyle books. With or without events, Great Atlantic does best with nonfiction, mystery and romance bestsellers, said spokeswoman Lauren La Bruno, who notes that the stores' bestsellers often match the New York Times list. One new category that is starting to gain strength is YA. La Bruno attributes its popularity to the increased visibility of young adult celebrities like the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus.

Harlequin has seen its sales increase at grocery stores, according to public relations v-p Katherine Orr, adding that sales are also strong so far in 2009. She attributes the upswing to retailers' commitment to discounting. Books for younger readers are also faring well, including hardcover picture books. Last fall, said Emily Romero, v-p of marketing at Penguin Young Readers, author Jan Brett had two of the biggest signings ever at the 71-store Wegmans Food Markets. The Rochester, N.Y.-based chain is no stranger to top-tier authors, having hosted Mary Higgins Clark, Rachael Ray and Michael Pollan. In Mechanicsburg, Pa., 1,500 people turned out to meet Brett and bought more than 1,500 books; an event in Bridgewater, N.J., drew 800 people and sold over 1,000 books.

Natural food chains like Austin, Tex.-based Whole Foods, too, are looking to complement their inventory with books, but not necessarily those on the New York Times list. Melisa Schulman, chief sales and community relations officer at Barefoot Books, said the children's publisher likes to work with the chain because its values align with Whole Foods. To reach that market, which is more decentralized than that of the other grocery stores, Barefoot recently hired several specialty rep groups, including Rocky Mountain Presence in Boulder, Colo. Barefoot has been doing well with $7.99 board books as well as a sprinkling of $16.99 and $19.99 titles. In July, Whole Foods will do a special promotion with Laurie Krebs's The Beeman and other bee-related items.