Talking Book World
| Industry | Retail |
|---|---|
| Founded | August 19, 1993 |
| Founders | Tyrone Pereira Richard Simtob |
| Defunct | Template:End date and age (United States) Template:End date and age (Canada) |
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | United States Canada |
| Products | Audiobooks |
| Website | talkingbookworld.com (2006 archive) |
Talking Book World was a retail chain in the United States specializing in the sale and rental of audiobooks on CDs and cassette tapes. The company’s headquarters were located in Southfield, Michigan, and at its height, it operated over 45 outlets throughout eight U.S. states as well as Canada.[1][2] It ranked among the largest audiobook-focused retail chains within the United States.[3][4]
History
In August 1993, entrepreneurs Richard Simtob, who held dual Canadian-American citizenship, and his associate Tyrone Pereira discovered an article about the emerging audiobook market while exploring new business opportunities. Inspired by this, they founded Talking Book World on August 19, 1993, launching their inaugural store two months later in West Bloomfield, Michigan.[5][6]
The expansion of the brand accelerated in 1995 when franchising options became available, enabling growth both nationally and internationally with new stores opening in states such as California and provinces like Ontario.[3][7] By the end of 1999, Talking Book World operated 33 outlets, with franchised locations accounting for 16 of these.[5] That same year, Inc. magazine recognized the company as one of the fastest-growing private enterprises across the United States.[8] The chain had ambitious plans to reach 100 stores by the year 2000 and to expand to 1,000 locations by 2005.[5] Its expansion was further supported by the shutdown of Earful of Books, a major competitor based in Austin, Texas, which ceased operations in April 2002.[9][10]
In June 2001, Richard Simtob stepped down from his role at the company.[11] Following his departure, he took on an executive position at Wireless Toyz, a retailer specializing in mobile phones, among other franchise-related ventures.[12]
Throughout the mid-2000s, numerous Talking Book World stores were shuttered; additionally, some franchisees opted to operate independently outside the chain’s umbrella.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] In April 2003, the company rebranded its mail-order rental service as Audio To Go.[13]
By 2007, Talking Book World's official website displayed a message announcing the cessation of its U.S. operations. Customers were redirected to Audio To Go’s platform for online rentals and referred to a separate website for Canadian services.[14] That same year saw the formation of a distinct entity named Talking Book World Investments, Inc., which relaunched a U.S.-focused website under a new domain in 2008.[15][16]
Information about the company's final status is scarce. By 2008, only two Talking Book World outlets remained operational within the United States, both situated in the Metro Detroit area.[16] The websites for both the U.S. retail chain and Audio To Go ceased functioning by 2010 and 2013 respectively. Meanwhile, operations persisted in Canada with locations in Toronto until October 2014 when its online presence was also discontinued.[17]
Retail approach
Although Talking Book World’s physical outlets sold audiobooks, the bulk of its revenue was generated through rentals. Emulating a model similar to Netflix, the company operated on a subscription basis, where customers paid a recurring monthly fee for unlimited audiobook rentals. Entry-level subscriptions allowed members to borrow one audiobook at a time without any fixed return deadlines or penalty charges, while premium plans enabled borrowing up to six titles simultaneously. Rentals were available both in-store and via mail service, with the latter eventually branded as Audio To Go.
Talking Book World’s rental strategy was referenced during the 2007 patent dispute between Blockbuster and Netflix.
Corporate sales
Beyond consumer retail, Talking Book World also distributed audiobooks to libraries. The company extended its services to corporate libraries as well, counting organizations such as Comerica, Xerox, and DaimlerChrysler among its business clients.
References
- ↑ "Store Locations". Talking Book World. Archived from the original on 2000-08-18.
- ↑ "Miami Book Fair Booth". C-SPAN (Video). 1999-12-16.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Roush, Matt (1998-05-11). "Talking Book's Road to Success: Commuting Drives Sales of Books on Tape". Crain's Detroit Business.
- ↑ Maughan, Shannon (2022-04-19). "Audiobooks: A Revolution in Format". Publishers Weekly.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "About Us". Talking Book World. Archived from the original on 2000-03-02.
- ↑ "TALKING BOOKS INC". OpenCorporates. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ↑ "Franchise Frenzy Hits Michigan Based Talking Book World". Talking Book World. 1997-04-14. Archived from the original on 1999-02-19.
- ↑ Rosenblum, Trudi M. "Audible Floats Drowning Ruth". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ↑ "Earful of Books Closes Stores" (PDF). Earful of Books. 2002-05-01.
- ↑ Maughan, Shannon (2002-05-13). "Earful of Books Bankruptcy Imminent". Publishers Weekly.
- ↑ Rosenblum, Trudi. "Talking Book World Founder Resigns". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ↑ "Bio: Richard Simtob". www.franchisesforsale.com. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ↑ "About Us". Audio To Go. Archived from the original on 2006-05-23.
- ↑ "Notice". Talking Book World. Archived from the original on 2007-06-23.
- ↑ "Talking Book World Investments, Inc". Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Home ". Talking Book World. Archived from the original on 2008-12-19 . Retrieved .
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