Framingham. MA – The Great American Bargain Book Show (GABBS) brand underwent a major overhaul in January with the sale of its Boston show and relocation of its Atlanta event to AmericasMart where it will be part of a larger gift and housewares exhibition.
Larry May, founder and president of GABBS Network, said the Boston GABBS was acquired by an investor group led by Advisor Communications, a Massachusetts firm that includes industry veteran Bill Sell as managing director.
The show’s sister event, GABBS Atlanta, will take place March 15-17 as part of the Atlanta Spring Gift, Home Furnishings & Holiday Market at AmericasMart. Attendees from both events will have cross-over registration, and joint marketing campaigns are under development with AmericasMart, May said.
“This is a major audience expansion for GABBS Atlanta and will open up marketing opportunities for our customers to potentially hundreds of gift shop buyers who are new to the bargain book business,” said May.
NEW BOSTON MANAGEMENT
Sell will be in charge of the new management team for the Boston show, which will be rebranded the Boston Remainder & Overstock Show and take place August 14-15 at Cyclorama Boston. Cyclorama is part of the Boston Center for the Arts on the city’s South End.
May and the current GABBS management team will remain involved with the Boston Remainder & Overstock Show. “They have come a long way with their various programs, and Larry’s insights into the remainder and bargain books industry is second to none,” Sell said.
Like GABBS Atlanta, the Boston Remainder & Overstock Show will tap into a pool of prospective new buyers who may not be presently involved in the selling of books. “The attendees are not only buyers for independent book stores and chains of book stores, but also discount stores,” said Sell.
About 40 exhibiting companies are expected at the Boston Remainder & Overstock Show, Sell said. Sellers will buy tables to display wares that include books as well as “impulse buy” items such as calendars, games, puzzles and stationery. The New England Independent Booksellers Association will partner with Advisor Communications on various workshops.
Sell told Trade Show Executive the steep discounts offered for wholesale books at the show will enable retailers to sell them at bargain prices and still maintain a good profit margin. The show will offer a training program for store owners who don’t have experience in buying and selling books that are considered current but are not new releases.
“It is amazing to see how many store owners and buyers don’t understand the off-price channel,” said Sell. “This misunderstanding leads to simply not buying.”
Reach Bill Sell at (508) 596-6118 or bsell@advisorcomm.net; Larry May at (865) 922-7490 or lbmay@lbmay.com
