Bookstore Sales Finish 2007 Up 1%

Bookstore Sales Finish 2007 Up 1%
A relatively strong second half of 2007 resulted in a 1.1% increase in bookstore sales for 2007, according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales for the year finished at $16.77 billion. According to Census data, this was the first time since 2005--the last Harry Potter year--that bookstore sales increased for the year. In December, a month that was not particularly good at the chains, sales rose 2.7%, to $2.11 billion. Sales for all of retail rose 4.1% in 2007 and increased 2.6% in December. Estimates for 2007 will be revised later this year.

From today's issue (2/14/08 ) of Publisher's weekly. Find it here:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6532473.html?nid=2286&source=title&rid=1609285953