Educators: Alyson Jones Turner, Sourcebooks; John Mesjak, Abraham Associates; Kimberly Brock, Joseph Beth Booksellers; Melissa Weisberg, Macmillan; Shelly Weinstein, Chapter2Books Hudson Join fellow bookstore buyers for a focused, half-day retreat designed to foster peer learning, practical education, and deeper industry connections. This year’s Buyer’s Retreat offers a refreshed format combining roundtable collaboration and expert-led instruction. Participants will engage in rotating discussions to surface their top challenges, gain insight through a classroom-style session on key topics: • Budgeting for Buying • Edelweiss for Buying • Buyer/Rep Relationships and the Importance of Buying Direct Buyers will then return to topic-based roundtables for actionable conversation. The retreat wraps with an optional shared lunch and the chance to continue the dialogue informally. This program is designed for buyers eager to sharpen skills, share strategies, and explore the evolving art and economics of buying. Topics: Budgeting for Buying, Edelweiss for Buying, Economics of Used Books, Buyer/Rep Relationships and the Importance of Buying Direct Format: Phase 1 (10:00 am - 11:00 am): Roundtables Buyers round-robin and discuss their top two most pressing concerns in roundtables. Phase 2 (11:00 am - 12:00 pm): Presentation Classroom style education and discussion covering the topics above. Phase 3 (12:00 pm - 1:00 pm): Roundtables Buyers return to roundtables for the last hour and are divided into roundtables based on discussion topics. Phase 4 (1:00 pm - 1:30 pm): Optional Lunch