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New vision for Joseph-Beth

Mark Wilson likes to encourage his employees at Joseph-Beth Booksellers to do things for customers that can't be "Amazoned."

Plan book fairs to help schools raise funds. Host tax preparation courses. Add new entrees to the menu at Bronte Bistro. Invite authors, from Larry Flynt to Sarah Palin, to speak to customers.

"You can't get those experiences online," says Wilson, who took the helm of a much smaller bookstore chain in April after the East End-based company emerged from bankruptcy.

Joseph-Beth is no longer plagued with millions of dollars of debt. But challenges to bricks-and-mortar bookstores continue to mount, as sales of e-books skyrocket monthly and consumers continue to buy books at bargain prices online and at big-box retailers.

Wilson's strategy, which he started implementing as the company's chief operating officer years ago, is to become ingrained in local communities and to offer customer service, selection and ambiance that can't be matched. The new CEOexpects to begin investing in store improvements like self-checkout machines and new product lines in health, beauty and fitness.

Eventually, he wants to open new, smaller stores in cities or hospitals near the company's three remaining locations in Cincinnati, Lexington and at the Cleveland Clinic.

"The opportunity now is growth versus fix," Wilson, 45,says. "But we're going to be strategic. We're not going to follow our emotions."

Joseph-Beth's financial troubles began more than five years ago after the company opened stores in Charlotte and Pittsburgh, Wilson says.

Its largest supplier, and creditor, Ingram Book Co., used an executive search firm in 2006 and found Wilson to take on some day-to-day operations with then-CEO and founder Neil Van Uum. Ingram needed someone to help run the company efficiently and pay off the growing debt.

Wilson had become experienced in turning around and building up businesses. The Canada native spent 12 years with various General Electric businesses, moving to the region in the 1990s to work for GE Capital in Newport. He left the company in 2000 to restructure a small local technology company called PC On Call.

Within six months, Joseph-Beth had generated operating income, Wilson says. It took the full five years to pay down 70 percent of the amount owed to Ingram. Hindering the company further was the 2009 opening of a store in Fredericksburg, Va., which failed to meet initial sales targets. When a loan came due late last year, banks weren't willing to renew it. Ingram was the largest creditor, owed $3.5 million.

How to Use Barnes and Noble Coupons

Online coupons, also known as discount codes and promo codes, are a great way for online shoppers to save money. Most large retailers who have an online presence periodically release coupon codes as a way to promote products and track advertising campaigns. For consumers, it is relatively easy to find and use current coupons, in order to save money on products and shipping costs. For example, if you are buying books online, there are Barnes and Noble Coupons that you can use. While discount codes are often available, it can often be difficult trying to track them down. Because there are a wealth of older and invalid coupons also out there online, it can be hard finding current coupons that you can use to save money today. However, there are a few places where it is possible to find valid coupons, including consumer forums and discount code listing websites.

Discount codes work in much the same way as traditional vouchers. When it is almost time to input your credit or debit card information, many websites allow you to input discount codes and reduce the final bill amount. If you are shopping for a few products online and can find current discount codes that are related to your purchases, you really can save a lot of money. Websites that list coupon codes have been popping up everywhere over the last few years, although most of them are based in the United States. They work through an affiliate business model, and make money on commissions from sales that they send to retailers. While some of these websites are also supported by advertising revenue, the vast majority of their income comes from commissions.

Barnes and Noble coupons and those released by other retailers are good for both the business and the customer. For the business, they are a great promotional tool and a way to track advertising campaigns, and for the customer they are a great way to save money. The process of using these coupon codes is relatively straightforward, with most checkout systems allowing you to input codes during a specified part of the checkout process. The discount that is given will then generally be applied directly to the final bill amount, or taken off an existing store credit. Discount codes and vouchers are a great way for consumers to save big when shopping online.

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