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Auctionbytes-Update, Number 35 - March 31, 2001 - ISSN 1528-6703     Previous Story | Contents | Next Story

Can Bookfair Attendance Thrive in the Shadow of the Internet? By Edith Reynolds AuctionBytes.com March 31, 2001

The Nasdaq may be dropping, but bookfair attendance remains steady despite an increased use of online auctions by booksellers around the world. A quick look at the numbers flowing through the doors at the Washington DC and St. Petersburg bookfairs attests to that. Attendance at these shows indicate that the Internet has had little effect on "hands-on" venues. Larry and Sandy Kellogg have managed the St. Petersburg show for the last 10 years of its twenty-year history. "I hear computer terms being discussed by dealers, but the attendance hasn't been affected," Larry says. He spreads his hands with pride toward a bustling crowd of paying customers and a hall filled with 115 dealers. He says that the Internet can't compete with facilities like the Coliseum and the camaraderie found among people with like-minded interests. The charm and ambience of the Coliseum, which was featured in the movie "Cocoon," cannot be duplicated on your computer, no matter how large a bandwidth you enjoy. "We do have a general turnover of 10-15 dealers per year because of accidents and illness," Larry explains, "and a few have dropped out because of the Internet--maybe two or three over the years." That turnover doesn't mean empty booths or a smaller number of participating dealers. Some of this year's newbies reported that they had been on Larry's waiting list for nearly 8 years. Bruce Halsted of Old Army Books has been a regular participant in the shows as long as Larry's been in charge, and he states emphatically that dealers like this show. He certainly does, even though he maintains an Internet presence from Kentucky. "There's always a good crowd and following," he reports, although he admits that "the Internet is changing things pretty fast." A 20 year veteran bookseller, Halsted prefers book sites to online auctions, using abe.com http://www.abe.com, BiblioFind http://www.bibliofind.com, and Amazon's Z shops :http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/subst/home/fixed.html/ref=gw_ m_ln_br_zs_2/107-0117276-3443715 m_ln_br_zs_2/107-0117276-3443715 on a regular basis in addition to his own site at ~http://www.sonic.net/~bstone/oldarmy. Michael Slicker of Lighthouse Books agrees that the Florida bookfair is a fun and profitable venture. He's been doing it for 20 years and enjoys setting up shop in one of the quaint alcoves lining the Coliseum walls. "It's like having your own shop," he beams. "I like it very much. It's wonderful, a good space, and it has atmosphere." Newcomers like St. Petersburg's Griffon's Medireview Manuscripts, New Hampshire's Michael Daum, and Wilfred DeFrietas of Montreal, Canada were happy to be there, too. DeFrietas was happy enough to jump in his van for the long drive south after getting a last minute call from Kellogg. This is worthy of note because DeFrietas and his wife had only just arrived home from the Washington show when the call came in. Since there is a stage, Kellogg provides live entertainment on opening night. This year there was a harpist providing background music that added to an atmosphere charged with good feeling. Concurrently, the plethora of lap top computers dotting dealers' booths showed the Internet was well-represented, either bringing the rest of a seller's inventory to the public or researching their latest "find." What Kellogg has most noticed about increased use of the Internet is that book dealers no longer speak of eBay in hushed tones. Today their booths are abuzz with terms like bits and bytes, Web-site management, eBay reserves, and other technological terms intermingled with the usual book banter. The Internet and online auctions have increased the cash flow for many book dealers, allowing them to increase the quantity of offerings along with an upgrade of quality. At the same time, a savvy customer has emerged that can more easily recognize a true gem when it appears. So if the St. Petersburg show is any indication, bookfairs are here to stay. And while the sellers may be home throughout most of the year listing items on eBay, shows like Florida's offers the opportunity for sellers and collectors alike to enjoy a bus man's (or bookman's) holiday.