June 04, 1999 Booksellers 'Thrilled' By Decision Bookselling This Week spoke with booksellers around the country following Barnes & Noble's decision to drop the proposed acquisition of the Ingram Book Group. As might be expected, the elation was unanimous. Here's what some had to say: Chuck Robinson, Village Books, Bellingham, Washington: "I'm thrilled. It doesn't mean all our problems in the book business are over, but that would have put us at a huge disadvantage. I'm very pleased that all the info we've given them for over 19 years won't fall into the hands of our chief competitor. And also that Barnes & Noble won't have control of the distribution of titles. "I hope the independents that are miffed at Ingram will get over it. I've heard of the stores that don't want to do business with them, and it's really cutting off your nose to spite your face. Clearly, everybody has to make their own choice, but I think they should do the thing that makes the most business sense to their store" Carla Cohen, Politics & Prose, Washington, DC:"It's great news. I'm delighted--and happy that we could play a part. We had actually talked to the FTC twice, and both times we had made the case that the acquisition would be a serious disadvantage to independent stores. We had put together figures from the holiday season, and it shows that we order two times as much from Ingram as Koen and Baker & Taylor. "Let's say that B&N acquired Ingram and it still serviced Independents; there would be two major problems with that: One, you would think they'd be fulfilling B&N's orders ahead of the independents; and two, B&N could look at the trends of what we were selling. I frankly didn't believe there could be an independent Ingram. "The FTC decision showed that there was an effective campaign, and that there was a real case; we're not just feeling sorry for ourselves. Dana Brigham, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, Massachusetts: "We're absolutely delighted. We feel very happy that the ABA and its member stores put in such an effort, with petitions, and meetings and so on, and also the Author's Guild. It's a wonderful decision, and we're interested to see what happens from now on--it's all very interesting. But in our store today we feel very happy." Karen Watkins, Vroman's Books, Pasadena, California: "I'm thrilled. I got a number of phone call this morning from friends and family. "I did a declaration with the FTC early in the year, and they called up about a week and a half ago, and somebody came out last Wednesday; they were lining people up to testify. "I'm very thrilled and excited. It's a huge victory. I immediately called up Oren Teicher to congratulate him. Without him spearheading the effort we might not have won. We should all be thanking ABA and Oren Teicher. And I have a lot of gratitude to the FTC people; they obviously have to be objective, and they saw the damaging effects to the consumer at large."--Zachary M. Chouteau Topics: B&N/Ingram,