Collins Ballarat on Sturt named ‘Franchise of the Year’ at national conference
Collins Booksellers Ballarat on Sturt, one of two Collins bookstores in Ballarat, Victoria, was named Franchise of the Year at this year’s Collins Booksellers national conference, which was held in Melbourne...
Four Collins franchises placed into administration
Four Collins Booksellers franchises in Victoria have closed after the stores’ parent company was placed into voluntary administration. The four stores are located in Bendigo and Kangaroo Flat in regional...
Keating joins Collins Booksellers head office
Michelle Keating has joined the Collins Booksellers head office in the role of national franchise manager. Keating has worked for a number of Collins stores in Melbourne over the past 23...
WH Smith trials franchising with independent newsagents
In the UK, bookselling chain WH Smith is trialling a new model of franchising with independent newsagents, reports the Telegraph. The new arrangements are being tested at a store in...
Mary Ryan’s Toowoomba reverts to company ownership
The Mary Ryan’s bookstore in Toowoomba, Queensland, has reverted to company ownership after operating as a franchise for five years. Mary Ryan’s CEO Bill Concannon told Bookseller+Publisher that Mary Ryan’s...
Coy promoted at Collins Booksellers
Collins Booksellers has announced that Alisa Coy has been promoted to the role of national franchise manager. Coy will begin in the role on 29 October and will report to...
NZ Dymocks stores rebrand as independents
Dymocks stores in Queensgate and Mt Eden in New Zealand have ended their franchise agreements and are now trading as independent booksellers under the names United Booksellers and Black Sheep...
SA small business commissioner appointed
The South Australian Government has appointed Mike Sinkunas as the state’s small business commissioner. Sinkunas, who has previously worked in education, computing and the SA public service, was appointed to...
New National Franchise Program launched
The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched a free national franchising service called the National Franchise Program (NFP), which is designed to strengthen the Australian franchising sector. The new program, which...
In Brief
Robb named 2012 CAL Nonfiction Writer-in-Residence at UTSAustralian writer Peter Robb has been named as the inaugural Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) Nonfiction Writer-in-Residence at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS)....
In Brief
New pop-up stores from Arcade teamDale Campisi and Michael Brady from Arcade Publications have launched a new retail venture and postal service in Melbourne, called Melbournalia. The Melbournalia stores, which will...
In Brief
Kobo devices available for order from CollinsKobo devices are now available to order online from Collins Booksellers. The bookseller will sell the Kobo Wireless Ereader for $139.99, and the new...
In Brief
ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize winners announcedCarrie Tiffany and Gregory Day are the joint winners of the 2011 Australian Book Review (ABR) Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. Tiffany was...
REDgroup: 20 former A&R franchises become independent, join Leading Edge
Twenty former Angus & Robertson (A&R) franchise stores are now trading as independent bookstores, with Leading Edge Books confirming to the Weekly Book Newsletter that the stores have joined the...
Collins Booksellers acquires 20 former A&R stores
Collins Booksellers has confirmed to the Weekly Book Newsletter that 18 former Angus & Robertson (A&R) franchise stores and two former A&R company-owned stores have joined the Collins network. Collins...
In Brief
WA regional writers' festivalsAuthors Alan Carter and Judy Nunn were among the special guests at the 2011 Kimberley Writers Festival, which took place between 29 and 31 July. The festival,...
In Brief
Kobo to release 'Touch Edition' ereader The Weekly Book Newsletter understands Kobo is likely to release its new Touch Edition ereader locally in September. The new edition features a touch screen, with...
QLD A&R franchise purchases company-owned store; stores to operate as independents
The owners of the Angus & Robertson (A&R) franchise in Southport, Queensland have confirmed to the Weekly Book Newsletter that they have purchased the formerly company-owned A&R store in Helensvale....
Collins Booksellers to acquire ‘group of’ A&R franchises
Collins Booksellers has announced that it has secured agreement with REDgroup administrators Ferrier Hodgson to acquire an undisclosed number of Angus & Robertson (A&R) franchise stores.Collins Booksellers CEO Daniel Jordon confirmed to the...
In Brief
CAL celebrates 20,000 membersCopyright Agency Limited (CAL) has celebrated a new membership record this week, with 20,000 authors, publishers, photographers and visual artists now members of the organisation. This milestone...