Open Shops: Statistics on recent changes

In answer to the question, "What's happening to the open shops?"

Here's a statistical look at changes in the number of open shops over the past
12 months.

Overall, of the 433 new listings that have been added to the Book Hunter Press
database over the past 12 months, 333, or 70%, are open shops. Based on the
description of the inventory given to us by the dealers, the shops range from
"hardcover only" to "mostly paperback" to "friends of the library" and other
non profit shops.

The USA information is divided into six geographic regions based on the six
Used Book Lover's Guides. The Canadian numbers reflect the entire country.

The "New Listings" column includes shops recently opened or not previously
listed in the Book Hunter Press database. The "Closings" column reflects
dealers who have gone out of business.

The numbers do not include previously listed mail order or by appointment
dealers who have opened shops, or, open shop dealers who have closed their
shops and are now selling by appointment or mail.

Please note that while we update all regions on a continuing basis, at any
given time of the year we may be undertaking a more in depth update of one or
more specific regions. This may account for some of the regional disparities in
the numbers below.

(my advance apologies if the columns do not come across neatly)


New Listings Closed
New England 14 13
Mid-Atlantic 47 19
South Atlantic 120 30
Midwest 21 26
Central/Western 47 60
Pacific Coast 61 35
Canada 23 18
TOTAL 333 201


Susan Siegel
Book Hunter Press
Regional guides to used and antiquarian booksellers
PO Box 193
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
(914) 245-6608 Fax: (914) 245-2630
www.bookhunterpress.com