With a significant online and bricks-and-mortar presence, Books-A-Million Inc. (BAMM) is the premier bookseller in the Southeastern United States. They also rank as the third largest bookseller in the country. They currently have over 200 stores located in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Books-A-Million is part of the Specialty Retail sector. They trade on NASDAQ. The company began in 1917 as a street corner newsstand in Florence, Alabama. This location was the seed for a network that today serves a broad market.
Books-A-Million stores operate under the superstore format: Books-A-Million. Their traditional stores operate under the name Bookland. The superstores average over 20,000 square feet and feature Joe Mugg’s cafes inside. These superstores have specialty shops within each store, such as the “Testaments Shoppe” which features the best reference material and writings for the Christian market.
The Bookland stores average 3,500 to 4,500 square feet. These stores are located mainly in mall environments and represent one-third of the company’s stores. The newest initiative for Books-A-Million is their Joe Mugg’s Newsstands. These outlets feature a larger Joe Muggs Cafe with a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and best-selling books.
Books-A-Million’s online presence is booksamillion.com, which began in 1998. Along with their retail component, Books-A-Million also has a book wholesale and distribution subsidiary under the name American Wholesale Book Company. This business operates out of Florence, Alabama and provides book wholesaling and distribution services for retailers in the Southeast. Florence is home to Book$mart, Inc. a bargain-book distribution arm of the company.
Books-A-Million also owns and operates an Internet-development service company called NetCentral. They acquired this company in 1999. This division of the company operates out of Nashville, Tennessee. NetCentral services Books-A-Million and outside clients, offering systems solutions and web development for Internet and networking initiatives.
Books-A-Million gives their customers millions of reasons to shop in their stores or at their online portal. They continue to expand the definition of what a book retailer should be with their innovative store concepts and product offerings. With everything from books, magazines and collectible supplies to extensive card and gift departments, Books-A-Million hopes to increase shareholder value for years to come.
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