Barbara's Lands at O'Hare--With Alliance Partners
It's official: as reported here March 15, Barbara's Bookstore is opening five stores in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
But there's much more to the story. For the O'Hare stores, Barbara's, which has pioneered some unusual collaborations, including stores in several Macy's and in a hospital, is partnering with Hudson Group, the airport, rail, bus and hotel store operator; Hartman Group, which publishes N'DIGO, a weekly newspaper serving Chicago's African-American community; and Blue Daring Consulting, a marketing, p.r. and retail consulting company.
Called Barbara's Bookstores at O'Hare, the stores will have exteriors featuring large photographs of famous Chicago authors. Construction will begin soon; the concession runs for seven years.
Don Barliant, president of Barbara's Bookstores, which also has stores in LaGuardia and Philadelphia airports as well as South Street Station in Boston, said: "We are delighted that the city has selected Barbara's, an authentic hometown business with a strong commitment to diversity, to serve O'Hare Airport. Our experienced bookselling staff is eager to begin catering to the airport's employees, airline crews, and of course travelers."
In a statement, Joseph DiDomizio, executive v-p and COO of Hudson, said: "As the largest travel retailer in North America, Hudson brings considerable operational firepower to the partnership. As the incumbent bookstore operator in Chicago-O'Hare since late 2003, we are very familiar with the airport's processes and procedures. We look forward to working with Don and his team to create some of the most attractive, exciting and functional airport bookstores anywhere, right here in Chicago."
This is not Hudson's first partnership with a local bookstore. Last year, the company signed on Rueben Martinez, who has two Libreria Martinez Books and Art Gallery locations, in Santa Ana and Lynwood, Calif., to direct the selection of Latino-related books and magazines at three Hudson News stores at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana (Shelf Awareness, August 10, 2006).
But there's much more to the story. For the O'Hare stores, Barbara's, which has pioneered some unusual collaborations, including stores in several Macy's and in a hospital, is partnering with Hudson Group, the airport, rail, bus and hotel store operator; Hartman Group, which publishes N'DIGO, a weekly newspaper serving Chicago's African-American community; and Blue Daring Consulting, a marketing, p.r. and retail consulting company.
Called Barbara's Bookstores at O'Hare, the stores will have exteriors featuring large photographs of famous Chicago authors. Construction will begin soon; the concession runs for seven years.
Don Barliant, president of Barbara's Bookstores, which also has stores in LaGuardia and Philadelphia airports as well as South Street Station in Boston, said: "We are delighted that the city has selected Barbara's, an authentic hometown business with a strong commitment to diversity, to serve O'Hare Airport. Our experienced bookselling staff is eager to begin catering to the airport's employees, airline crews, and of course travelers."
In a statement, Joseph DiDomizio, executive v-p and COO of Hudson, said: "As the largest travel retailer in North America, Hudson brings considerable operational firepower to the partnership. As the incumbent bookstore operator in Chicago-O'Hare since late 2003, we are very familiar with the airport's processes and procedures. We look forward to working with Don and his team to create some of the most attractive, exciting and functional airport bookstores anywhere, right here in Chicago."
This is not Hudson's first partnership with a local bookstore. Last year, the company signed on Rueben Martinez, who has two Libreria Martinez Books and Art Gallery locations, in Santa Ana and Lynwood, Calif., to direct the selection of Latino-related books and magazines at three Hudson News stores at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana (Shelf Awareness, August 10, 2006).
Earlier this month Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays began a book tour for their second baby, Somebody's Going to Die If Lilly Beth Doesn't Catch That Bouquet
(Hyperion). The party at McCormick Book Inn in Greenville, Miss.,
featured a wedding cake, silver punch bowl and wedding flowers, including
corsages for the hostesses and a boutonniere for Gayden's husband,
Harley Metcalfe, the honorary groom for the day. At the party, the
authors of Being Dead Is No Excuse sold 870 copies of their new
book. By the time their tour ends in early June, the wedding party
will have traveled to Turnrow Books, Greenwood, Miss., Burke's Books,
Memphis, Garden District Books, New Orleans, Square Books, Oxford,
Miss., Page and Palette, Fairhope, Ala., Pass Christian Books, Pass
Christian, Miss., and Lemuria Books, Jackson, Miss., among others.