Longtime book wholesaler Baker & Taylor will end sales to individual retail stores, the company announced today.  It will continue to service mass merchandisers, specialty retail chains, and wholesaler customers through its Baker and Taylor Publisher Services division, which will be unaffected by the change, and “remains a cornerstone of Baker & Taylor’s future growth strategy,” the company said. 

The move takes away a major supplier of graphic novels and roleplaying games to independent retail stores, which will need to be replaced; book wholesaler Ingram seems likely to be the biggest beneficiary.    

The move continues a strategic realignment by the company’s latest owner, Follett (which acquired Baker and Taylor in 2016), away from the trade and toward libraries and schools.  Follett sold Baker and Taylor’s home entertainment distribution business to Ingram earlier this year.