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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Books Pictures of the New Elliott Bay Book Company

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 1:39 PM

This week in the book section, I tell the complete story of Elliott Bay Book Company's move. I also wonder about a few decisions that the store is making about the new space:

Rumors are circulating at other Seattle bookstores that the new Elliott Bay might not carry used books. Aaron says he "hasn't decided yet," but his tour didn't include a space for a used-book counter. Aaron has always had an aesthetic aversion to used books (employees have long speculated that his legendarily acute sense of smell accounts for this). That would be a huge mistake. Elliott Bay shouldn't have a separate used-book room, as it does in the current space, but a small counter like the one at Third Place that buys a few titles and shelves them in the stacks alongside new copies, makes for a more satisfying browsing experience. Used books make money—roughly 40 percent of a new book's price is profit for a bookstore. For used books, it's more like 80 percent.

But the real reason you should go check out the story is for Kelly O's fabulous pictures of the new space, which amounts to a gorgeous visual tour of the gorgeous new bookstore before they put all the shelves in. Please go check it out.