Wi2026: Singles Night, Haunted Houses, and Adult Book Fairs: Rethinking Nontraditional Events in Bookstores
BookED
From scary walk-throughs, to romantic mixers, to once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, nontraditional events are redefining how customers experience your space. This session dives into creative event concepts that go beyond the book launch, helping you reimagine your store as a dynamic venue for community connection, entertainment, and unexpected joy. Learn how to plan, market, and execute standout events that increase foot traffic, diversify revenue, and make your store the talk of the town — all while staying true to your brand and mission. Recorded February 26, 2026 at Winter Institute...
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Wi2026: Planning Bookstore Crawls
BookED
Bookstore crawls are a fun and effective way to build buzz, boost sales, and strengthen community ties — but pulling off a successful crawl takes coordination and creativity. In this session, you'll hear from booksellers who’ve planned crawls of all sizes, from neighborhood strolls to citywide (or even statewide) celebrations. We’ll cover logistics like mapping routes, partnering with fellow stores, creating passports or incentives, and working with local media. Learn how to turn your crawl into a signature event that brings customers back long after the final stop. Recorded...
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Wi2026: Remainders Reimagined: Adding Value Beyond the Discount
BookED
Remainders don’t have to mean compromise — they can be a powerful tool for boosting sales, enhancing discovery, and strengthening your store’s identity. We’ll dig into strategies for sourcing remainders that complement your frontlist, creating displays that highlight value without diluting your brand, and using remainder sales to attract new customers while delighting loyal ones. Along the way, we’ll also discuss how to balance margins, manage inventory flow, and avoid common pitfalls that make remainders feel disconnected from your store’s larger mission. You’ll leave with...
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Wi2026: Safe to Be Scared: How Thrillers Benefit the Kids' Section
BookED
Books can offer more than just thrills — they can be a powerful and safe space for kids to explore big feelings, face fears, and build resilience. In this session, we’ll dive into the growing popularity of horror, mystery, and suspense across age categories, from gently eerie board books to middle grade page-turners full of chills and heart. We’ll explore how scary stories can help children process anxiety, develop empathy, and gain a sense of control in an unpredictable world — all while having fun. You’ll leave with strategies for curating age-appropriate “safe scares,” hosting...
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Wi2026: Kid’s-Eye View: Designing Spaces That Invite Young Readers In
BookED
Your Kids section should be constantly growing and changing — just like your kid customers! This session will explore unique ways to organize and merchandise your Kids section. From adding opportunities for play and imagination, relocating books to kid-friendly heights, and rethinking how to categorize your books, you'll leave with fresh ideas to make your Kids section a bestseller. Recorded February 25, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA. Additional bookstore education resources can be found at . Theme song by
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Indies Introduce: Tess & Corby Campbell
BookED
ABA's interview series spotlights debut authors handpicked by booksellers from around the country. In each episode, a bookseller from the Indies Introduce panel interviews an author featured in the program to celebrate the release of their book. In this episode, Kristin Pidgeon of interviews Tess & Corby Campbell, co-authors of , available now at your local independent bookstore. Theme song by
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Wi2026: Square Foot Solutions: Boosting Revenue Without More Space
BookED
Increasing your sales per square feet doesn't require moving to a bigger building or knocking down a wall -- there are small tweaks you can do to make the most of every inch of your existing space. This session goes beyond layout tweaks to explore how sales-per-square-foot impacts overall profitability and how to strategically manage it. We’ll cover techniques for identifying high- and low-performing areas of your store using financial data, evaluating inventory mix, and allocating prime space to your highest-margin products. Learn how to measure the success of your layout changes, set...
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Wi2026: Events 201: Sustainable Author Events in an Unsustainable Time
BookED
The author event landscape has shifted and booksellers are feeling the strain. This candid session explores what sustainable programming really looks like now. From rising costs to staff burnout, we’ll discuss how to build events that are realistic, joyful, and community-driven. Come ready to share, reflect, and leave with practical ideas you can actually use. If you have been organizing or hosting events at your bookstore for a few years and have had a few knotty issues you can't resolve, this session is perfect for you. Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in...
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Wi2026: Building a Spanish Language Section That Serves Your Whole Community
BookED
Many readers want to buy and engage with Spanish language books at their local indie bookstore, but curating a meaningful selection can feel overwhelming. This session will guide you through how to source quality titles, evaluate translators, and discover essential tools for informed purchasing decisions. You’ll also explore ways to connect with Spanish-speaking communities in your area — through inclusive events, local partnerships, and culturally relevant programming. You'll leave with actionable ideas to build not only a strong Spanish language section, but a welcoming space where more...
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Wi2026: Curation Policies for Free Expression
BookED
With pressure on bookstores increasing over the books they decide to carry or not carry, it is essential to have a clear curation policy that reflects your store’s emphasis and values. Having a curation policy helps a store keep the team on the same page, explain curation decisions to customers, and work through disagreements within the staff and community. Led by ABFE’s Associate Director Philomena Polefrone, this session will offer a structure to help you start articulating your store’s process and values. Attendees will leave with a draft they can continue developing when they return...
info_outlineIncreasing your sales per square feet doesn't require moving to a bigger building or knocking down a wall -- there are small tweaks you can do to make the most of every inch of your existing space. This session goes beyond layout tweaks to explore how sales-per-square-foot impacts overall profitability and how to strategically manage it. We’ll cover techniques for identifying high- and low-performing areas of your store using financial data, evaluating inventory mix, and allocating prime space to your highest-margin products. Learn how to measure the success of your layout changes, set realistic sales-per-square-foot goals, and tie merchandising decisions directly to your bottom line. Whether you’re working with 500 or 5,000 square feet, you’ll leave with practical, financially driven strategies to make your existing footprint more productive, profitable, and intentional.
Recorded February 24, 2026 at Winter Institute 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Additional bookstore education resources can be found at www.bookweb.org.
Theme song by Constant Companion