We're sad to report that Hut Landon is retiring. Again. At the same time, however, we're happy for him.
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Best-known as the longtime executive director of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (now part of the California Independent Booksellers Alliance), Hut Landon began his career working as a newspaper journalist, then as a bookseller and bookstore owner, then at NCIBA, first on the board and as president, then executive director, until his retirement in 2015. Since then, Landon has been a bookseller at Mrs. Dalloway's Literary & Garden Arts bookstore in Berkeley.
Much of the job at Mrs. Dalloway's has involved working in the store four days a week, a daily schedule that he's giving up. He said he'll miss "being in the store and being with colleagues and talking with customers," but he will continue such back-office work as producing the store's weekly newsletter and website. "I wanted to stay connected to the store if they wanted me to, and they do," he added.
Carolyn Hutton, manager at Mrs. Dalloway's, noted that Landon's job with the store "grew into much more than anyone could ever have imagined. He's a major part of our staff, and we are really going to miss him, but support his desire to truly have some leisure time and pursue other less strenuous activities.... He's been a HUGE part of the Bay Area book scene for decades and is beloved by many."
Landon's last day working on the floor is this Saturday, September 28, when Mrs. Dalloway's is encouraging customers to stop by between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. "There will be festivities in the store, we'll have a card to sign, and you can get your final book recommendation from Hut."
During his time as executive director of NCIBA, from 1999 to 2015, Landon was instrumental in creating Book Sense, the marketing campaign for independent bookstores that eventually was adopted by the American Booksellers Association and became the national initiative IndieCommerce. Similarly, in 2014 Landon helped create California Bookstore Day, which is now also managed by the ABA and has become the colossally successful Independent Bookstore Day.
But Landon is perhaps most proud of something less well known: helping create the concept of independent bookselling and independent bookstores. NCIBA was the first regional booksellers association to add the word "independent" to its name, which Landon proposed when, as a bookstore owner, he was president of the Northern California Booksellers Association. "I brought it up with the board that we add 'independent' to our name," he said. "We were the first to do it." The proposal passed by an overwhelming majority.
Landon called the name change "a big deal" because "we needed to differentiate ourselves." Within a few years, most other regional booksellers associations added the word independent to their names, and the phrases "independent bookstore" and "independent bookseller" became new standards in the industry. Then the focus became "what makes us distinctive," which led to Book Sense and California Bookstore Day.
While he wants to travel in retirement, Landon's first plans involve having a knee operation next month, something he couldn't do while working four days a week at Mrs. Dalloway's. "The body needs patching," he said.
Even with that, and eventually traveling, he will continue publishing the weekly newsletter he started when still executive director of NCIBA, Hut's Place: Weekly Words About New Books in Independent Bookstores. Published on Sundays, the newsletter is written for general readers and primarily highlights three titles just published or soon to be published. Landon says he enjoys writing it and is proud of its 60% open rate. With his early background in newspaper writing, it comes fairly easily. "I'm a big believer in deadlines," he said. "I like the discipline and want to keep going."
We're glad he'll keep working on it--and staying in touch! --John Mutter