Books-A-Million
American bookstore and specialty retail chain with stores concentrated in the southeastern United States.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Books-A-Million, commonly branded as BAM!, is an American bookstore and specialty retailer that developed from a Florence, Alabama, newsstand into a regional chain serving readers and general-interest shoppers. The business began in 1917 when Clyde W. Anderson established a newsstand to supply newspapers to workers associated with the Wilson Dam project. Its early focus on newspapers and periodicals eventually broadened into book retail, creating the foundation for a family-operated business that remained closely associated with the Anderson family for more than a century. The company expanded materially under Charles C. Anderson, the founder’s son, who inherited the business in 1950. It incorporated as Bookland in 1964 and had grown to approximately 50 stores by 1980. Acquisitions and format development accelerated its expansion: in 1988, Bookland acquired the Gateway Books chain in Knoxville, Tennessee, and opened its first large-format superstore. In 1992, the company adopted the Books-A-Million name and became publicly traded through an initial public offering. The public-company period supported further development of its retail, wholesale, and technology operations, although the company later returned to private ownership. Books-A-Million’s stores generally combine traditional bookselling with a broad assortment of adjacent categories. Depending on location and format, merchandise includes new books, magazines, manga, collectibles, toys, technology products, gifts, and related entertainment items. Store footprints vary substantially, from smaller locations of roughly 4,000 square feet to large stores of approximately 30,000 square feet. Many locations include a Joe Muggs coffee and espresso bar, adding an experiential café component to the bookstore environment. The company has operated several retail identities and related businesses. Its store portfolio has included Books-A-Million, Bookland, Books & Company, and 2nd & Charles. The latter was introduced as a used-media and resale concept, extending the company beyond conventional new-book retail. Books-A-Million also operates American Wholesale Book Company, its e-commerce and book-distribution operation associated with booksamillion.com, and has owned NetCentral, a Nashville-based internet development and services business. Outside bookselling, the company has held interests in Yogurt Mountain, a frozen-yogurt retailer and franchisor, and Preferred Growth Properties, a commercial real-estate development and management business. Digital commerce became an important part of the company’s strategy after the launch of booksamillion.com in 1998. The company subsequently operated online retail and wholesale activities while continuing to emphasize physical stores. In 2016, it began offering self-published books, broadening the range of content available through its retail platform and giving independently published authors another distribution channel. In December 2015, chairman Clyde B. Anderson and his family acquired Books-A-Million for $21 million. The transaction took the company private and ended its Nasdaq listing. Books-A-Million therefore combines the characteristics of a regional bookstore chain, an online bookseller, a used-media retailer, and a family-controlled group with interests in cafés, frozen yogurt, technology services, and commercial property. Its principal market remains the United States, particularly the Southeast, and its consumer positioning is based on accessible book retail supported by gifts, entertainment merchandise, food service, and promotional shopping occasions.
History
Books-A-Million traces its origins to 1917, when Clyde W. Anderson opened a newsstand in Florence, Alabama. The business emerged from a local demand for newspapers among workers connected with the Wilson Dam project. Anderson, who left school to help support his family after his father’s death, built the initial operation around periodicals and local retail distribution. The company passed to Anderson’s son, Charles C. Anderson, in 1950. Under the younger Anderson, the business moved from a single-store operation toward a formal chain. It incorporated as Bookland in 1964 and reached approximately 50 stores by 1980. In 1988, Bookland acquired Gateway Books, a Knoxville, Tennessee-based chain, and opened its first superstore-format location. These steps established the larger-format, multi-category retail model that later became associated with Books-A-Million. In 1992, Bookland changed its corporate name to Books-A-Million, Inc. and completed an initial public offering. The company subsequently developed its online presence, launching booksamillion.com in 1998. In 1999, it acquired NetCentral, the company that had designed its website, and began operating American Wholesale Book Company as a book wholesaler, distributor, and e-commerce business. These moves gave the retailer capabilities beyond its physical stores. During the 2010s, Books-A-Million diversified its retail portfolio. In April 2010, it acquired a 40 percent interest in Yogurt Mountain, a frozen-yogurt retailer and franchisor. It later opened Yogurt Mountain locations in some bookstore properties. In September of the same year, it launched 2nd & Charles, a used-media concept first opened in Hoover, Alabama. The company also maintained store identities including Bookland and Books & Company, while many Books-A-Million locations incorporated Joe Muggs coffee and espresso bars. The company’s corporate structure also included Preferred Growth Properties, which developed and managed commercial real-estate investments, and NetCentral, an internet development and services operation in Nashville. This broadened the Anderson family business beyond bookstore sales into technology, property, food service, and adjacent specialty retail. In December 2015, chairman Clyde B. Anderson and his family acquired Books-A-Million for $21 million. The transaction returned the business to private ownership and ended its Nasdaq listing. In 2016, Books-A-Million added self-published books to its sales offering, further widening the range of content carried by its stores and online channels. Books-A-Million remains an active American retailer with a network described in reference material as approximately 260 stores across 32 states. Its stores range from smaller units to large superstores and sell books alongside magazines, manga, collectibles, toys, technology products, gifts, and other merchandise. The company’s business model combines regional physical retail, online bookselling, wholesale distribution, resale through 2nd & Charles, and café operations through Joe Muggs.
- 2016
Self-published books added to the assortment
[1]Books-A-Million began selling self-published books.
- 2015
Company returns to private ownership
[1]Clyde B. Anderson and his family acquired the company, ending its public listing.
- 2010
Yogurt Mountain investment and 2nd & Charles launch
[1]The company bought a minority stake in Yogurt Mountain and launched the 2nd & Charles used-media retail concept.
- 1999
NetCentral and American Wholesale Book Company operations added
[1]Books-A-Million acquired NetCentral and began operating American Wholesale Book Company as a wholesale and distribution business.
- 1998
Booksamillion.com launches
[1]The company established its online retail presence with the launch of booksamillion.com.
- 1992
Books-A-Million becomes the corporate name and goes public
[1]The company adopted the Books-A-Million name and completed an initial public offering.
- 1988
Gateway Books acquired and superstore format introduced
[1]Bookland acquired Gateway Books and opened its first superstore-format location.
- 1980
Chain reaches approximately 50 stores
[1]Bookland had expanded to roughly 50 retail locations.
- 1964
Business incorporates as Bookland
[1]The company adopted Bookland as its incorporated business name.
- 1950
Charles C. Anderson takes over the business
[1]The founder’s son inherited the operation and began its development into a larger retail chain.
Products and positioning
A broad-assortment, mass-market bookstore and specialty retailer combining books with magazines, entertainment merchandise, gifts, toys, cafés, and used media.
Bookstore retail · 1992
Books-A-Million bookstores
The core Books-A-Million store format sells new books across general-interest, fiction, nonfiction, children’s, educational, and other categories. Locations also carry magazines, manga, collectibles, toys, technology products, gifts, and related entertainment merchandise. Store sizes vary significantly, allowing the chain to operate both conventional stores and large superstore locations.
Bookstore retail · 1964
Bookland
Bookland was the incorporated name adopted by the business in 1964 and remains one of the retail identities associated with the company. The format reflects the chain’s historical development from a regional bookseller before the broader Books-A-Million corporate branding was adopted.
Used media and specialty retail · 2010
2nd & Charles
2nd & Charles is a resale-oriented retail concept introduced by Books-A-Million in 2010. It trades in used media and related merchandise, extending the company into secondary-market products and providing a distinct store identity alongside its new-book businesses.
Café
Joe Muggs
Joe Muggs is the coffee and espresso-bar concept commonly located within Books-A-Million stores. It supports the company’s bookstore experience by adding beverages and café service to selected retail locations.
E-commerce · 1998
Booksamillion.com
Booksamillion.com is the company’s online retail channel, offering books and related merchandise through the internet. It is operated within the broader American Wholesale Book Company business and complements the physical-store network.
Wholesale and distribution · 1999
American Wholesale Book Company
American Wholesale Book Company is Books-A-Million’s wholesale, distribution, and e-commerce operation. It was established as part of the company’s expansion beyond store-based retail and is associated with the booksamillion.com online business.
Brand decisions
2016
Add self-published booksProduct launchBackground
The company expanded the range of authors and titles available through its retail channels.
Action taken
Books-A-Million began selling self-published books.
Aftermath
The move broadened the company’s content assortment beyond traditionally published titles.
2015
Take Books-A-Million privateM&ABackground
The Anderson family pursued ownership of the publicly traded bookstore company.
Action taken
Chairman Clyde B. Anderson and his family acquired the company for $21 million.
Aftermath
Books-A-Million became privately held and its Nasdaq listing ended.
Acquisition price. $21 million (December 2015)
2010
Invest in Yogurt MountainM&ABackground
Books-A-Million explored diversification into food and franchised specialty retail.
Action taken
The company acquired a 40 percent stake in Yogurt Mountain and subsequently introduced Yogurt Mountain locations in some bookstore properties.
Aftermath
The investment gave the bookstore group an additional retail and food-service business outside bookselling.
Equity stake. 40% (April 2010)
2010
Launch 2nd & CharlesProduct launchBackground
The company sought to broaden its retail model through used-media trading and resale.
Action taken
Books-A-Million opened the first 2nd & Charles location in Hoover, Alabama.
Aftermath
2nd & Charles became a distinct used-media and specialty-retail identity within the company’s portfolio.
1999
Build internal internet and wholesale capabilitiesStrategyBackground
After establishing an online presence, the company sought additional technology and distribution capabilities.
Action taken
Books-A-Million acquired NetCentral and began operating American Wholesale Book Company.
Aftermath
The company expanded into internet services, wholesale distribution, and e-commerce operations alongside its stores.
1998
Launch booksamillion.comProduct launchBackground
Books-A-Million was responding to the emergence of internet retail and the growing importance of online book purchasing.
Action taken
The company launched its booksamillion.com website as an online retail channel.
Aftermath
Online retail became part of the company’s broader operating model and was later linked with American Wholesale Book Company.
1988
Acquire Gateway BooksM&ABackground
Bookland was expanding its regional bookstore footprint and sought to add an established chain based in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Action taken
The company acquired Gateway Books and continued developing a larger multi-store retail network.
Aftermath
The acquisition formed part of the expansion that preceded the company’s superstore strategy and later Books-A-Million rebranding.
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