Indigo Books and Music
Encyclopedia
Heather Reisman
Heather Reisman is a Canadian businesswoman. Reisman is the founder and chief executive of the Canadian retail chain Indigo Books and Music. Previously, she was president of Cott Corporation, a leading supplier of private label carbonated soft drinks.Reisman is married to Gerald Schwartz,...
, wife of Gerry Schwartz
Gerry Schwartz
Gerald W. Schwartz, OC born c.1941 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a Canadian businessman. In 1977 he co-founded CanWest Global Communications Inc, followed by Onex Corporation in 1983. He has been a director of Scotiabank since 1999...
, majority owner and CEO of Onex Corporation.
The company's first big box bookstore, initially called "Indigo Books, Music & More", was opened in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
on September 4, 1997. With the aid of Onex, Indigo later engaged in a hostile takeover of Chapters
Chapters
Chapters is a Canadian big box bookstore banner owned by Indigo Books and Music. Formerly a company in its own right competing with Indigo, the combined company has continued to operate both banners since their merger in 2001.-History:...
, their largest competitor, and succeeded in acquiring the company in 2001, but continues to operate many stores under the Chapters banner. Indigo also gained the ownership of the Coles
Coles (bookstore)
Coles is a Canadian bookstore chain owned by Indigo Books and Music. Coles currently serves as Indigo's brand for small-scale bookstores in locations such as shopping malls...
chain of small-format bookstores, which was also owned by Chapters.
Operations
The company sells books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, gifts, and toys through its website chapters.indigo.ca, and in its stores. Its banners currently include Indigo Books & Music, ChaptersChapters
Chapters is a Canadian big box bookstore banner owned by Indigo Books and Music. Formerly a company in its own right competing with Indigo, the combined company has continued to operate both banners since their merger in 2001.-History:...
, and World's Biggest Bookstore
World's Biggest Bookstore
The World's Biggest Bookstore is a bookstore located in Toronto, Ontario, at 20 Edward St, just north of the Toronto Eaton Centre. It is currently owned by Indigo Books and Music.-History:...
(large format), and Coles
Coles (bookstore)
Coles is a Canadian bookstore chain owned by Indigo Books and Music. Coles currently serves as Indigo's brand for small-scale bookstores in locations such as shopping malls...
, SmithBooks, IndigoSpirit, and Prospero-The Book Company (small format).
In recent years, Indigo has partnered with Apple and iUniverse publishing. Indigo also manufactures its own brand of products, called IndigoLife. In addition, the chain's Indigo Trusted Advisor Program offers book recommendations from experts in health, finance, and the environment, such as David Bach
David Bach (author)
David L. Bach is an American financial author, television personality, motivational speaker, entrepreneur and founder of . Bach, is best known for his Finish Rich Book Series and Automatic Millionaire Series of motivational financial books under the Finish Rich® Brand. He has written 12 books...
and David Suzuki
David Suzuki
David Suzuki, CC, OBC is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a Ph.D in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department of the University of British Columbia from 1963 until his retirement in 2001...
.
Charitable activities
In 2004, Indigo started the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, a program which helps provide new books and learning materials to high-needs elementary schools, enhancing the literacy and self-esteem of students. Indigo commits $1.5 million annually to schools across Canada. This money is raised by Indigo customers and proceeds from Love of Reading fundraising products, such as plush toys and gift wrap.In 2007, the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation produced a documentary chronicling the issue of funding for books in Canadian elementary schools. The documentary Writing on the Wall recounts the establishment of the foundation, while revealing the current conditions of school libraries and literacy in Canada.
Kobo Inc.
Kobo Inc.Kobo Inc.
Kobo Inc. is the company that makes the Kobo eReader, and its headquarters is in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 2009. The majority shareholder is Indigo Books and Music. Before being spun off, Kobo was a division of Indigo...
was originally a wholly owned subsidiary of Indigo. Indigo currently holds a 57.7% ownership of Kobo Inc.
Employee programs
Indigo was listed in the 2006 and 2007 edition of Canada's Top 100 EmployersCanada's Top 100 Employers
Canada's Top 100 Employers is an annual competition that recognizes the best places in Canada to work. First held in 1999, the project aims to single out the employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional working conditions and progressive human resources policies. Winners are...
, as well as Greater Toronto's Top 50 Employers (2007). This is due in part to a staff rewards program which includes benefits eligibility for both full-time and part-time employees. Indigo also offers a company matched RRSP program and yearly employee scholarships.
Censorship
In 2001, Indigo generated controversy by removing Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf is a book written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It combines elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political ideology. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926...
from the shelves. In 2006, Indigo decided not to sell the June issue of Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
, which reprinted the controversial cartoons
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
that had led to violent demonstrations around the world. Indigo also chose to not distribute the issue of Western Standard
Western Standard
The Western Standard is a Calgary, Alberta-based libertarian-conservative publication that billed itself as Canada's only conservative national news magazine...
which reprinted and discussed those same cartoons. The company has also reportedly refused to stock several titles by David Icke
David Icke
David Vaughan Icke is an English writer and public speaker, best known for his views on what he calls "who and what is really controlling the world." Describing himself as the most controversial speaker in the world, he has written 18 books explaining his position, and has attracted a substantial...
, as well as firearms magazines.
Support of Israel by owners
In the summer of 2006, the company was targeted by social activists from NIONNion
Nion is the Irish name of the fifth letter of the Ogham alphabet, , probably meaning "fork". In Old Irish, the letter name was Nin, a name which is notable for referring both to a specific letter, and to any of the Ogham letters in general....
and the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid. According to a report in This Magazine
This Magazine
This Magazine is an independent alternative Canadian political magazine. It was launched "by a gang of school activists" in 1966 as This Magazine is About Schools, a journal covering political issues in the education system...
, CAIA advocated the boycott of Chapters/Indigo stores due to principals Reisman and Schwartz forming the Heseg Foundation for soldiers serving in the Israeli army that have no family living in the state of Israel. The article claimed Reisman and Schwartz donate $3 million a year to the Foundation.
Competitive position
The Indigo/Chapters chain has been criticized over what some perceive as a virtual monopoly over retail-based book sales in Canada. In 2002, the company strongly opposed the entry of AmazonAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
into the Canadian marketplace with accusations the U.S.-based company was skirting regulations about foreign ownership of Canadian booksellers.
Indigo has also been blamed for undermining the role of independent booksellers in Canada. The company, which sells books at significantly reduced prices based on volume, was blamed by many in the Canadian publishing industry for the collapse of Lichtman's, once Canada's largest independent bookseller.
Management
- Heather ReismanHeather ReismanHeather Reisman is a Canadian businesswoman. Reisman is the founder and chief executive of the Canadian retail chain Indigo Books and Music. Previously, she was president of Cott Corporation, a leading supplier of private label carbonated soft drinks.Reisman is married to Gerald Schwartz,...
— Chief Executive Officer - Kay Brekken — Chief Financial Officer
- Joyce Gray — Executive Vice President, Retail and Consumer Experience
- Deirdre Horgan — Executive Vice-President, Chief Marketing Officer
- Sumit Oberai — Chief Information Officer