BESTSELLER opened its Saipan branch in February 1994 at a building across from Joeten Susupe and was soon thriving as the island’s primary source of new books, magazines and even the thick Sunday edition of the New York Times.
On Monday, April 17, 2022, Bestseller, which is now located at MAC Building on Middle Road, Chalan Laulau, will shut down.
In an email interview, Bestseller’s vice president for operations, May Camacho, told Variety that the past three years of the pandemic hit their business hard.
“We have weathered many ups and downs over the last 29 years serving the Saipan community but the last three years have been especially challenging and unfortunately we have decided that it was best for us to close,” she said.
When asked if their Saipan branch can re-open in the future, she said “Yes, that is always a possibility.”
She added that the management of Bestseller would like to thank community members “for their unwavering support, especially during these tough economic times.”
She added, “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the people of Saipan for their patronage and support these last 29 years. It has been a privilege being a part of the Saipan community. We will miss seeing our customers and look forward to serving them from our Guam stores.”
For more information, visit their website at www.bestsellerguam.com/.
Other booksellers
There are still stores on island that sell books, and these include CNMI Books and Resource Center which is next to the Bridge Capital building on Micro Beach Road; National Office Supply on Beach Road; Joeten Susupe; and the Northern Marianas College bookstore.
Sad customers
Bestseller customers interviewed by Variety said they were saddened by the news of its closure.
“I’m really sad,” Lou Guevarra said. “I’ve gone there since I was little when it was at Joeten Susupe and now I go there for my son and it’s just sad to see it close. It’s like we are saying goodbye to a part of our childhood and community.”
She said she usually bought “learning books…occasionally journals, and magazines, when Tiger Beat was still a thing.”
As a mom, she said she often buys books for her children to read.
Lanii Camacho said entering Bestseller “gives me comfort and peace. It’s sad because it is the only bookstore on island that offers a wide selection of books and magazines. Purchasing books online takes forever to get here on Saipan and the shipping fee is expensive. Purchasing eBooks is just not the same,” she added.
An actual bookstore
Author, writing coach and three-time Governor’s Humanities Award recipient Walt F.J. Goodridge said Bestseller “makes author’s dreams come true.”
He added, “Through my coaching and workshops, I’ve inspired a factory worker, a nurse, an MD, a World War II veteran and even a certain newspaper editor to put their thoughts to paper, follow through and publish their first book.”
Their books were sold at Bestseller.
“Bestseller represents a physical location right here on Saipan…where a first-time author can actually see and touch his or her book as it graces the shelves of an actual bookstore rather than simply as a downloadable file or an image on a screen,” Goodridge said.
“That’s major — particularly for an individual who isn’t able to experience that reality in his/her home country or the U.S. mainland.
“As a consignment author, I find Bestseller’s policies and terms very accommodating and generous to local writers — and they actually pay as promised! (I, and at least two other clients, have our frame-ready ‘first checks’ to prove it!)
“Dealing with the store’s staff —first with Marlon Regaton and then Tahannie Ayuyu — was and is an absolute pleasure. They know, respect and cater to both the consumer-side and creator-side markets. In fact, the idea for my Saipan Now pictorial came directly from former manager, Marlon, who shared with me what tourists were looking for and encouraged me to produce it!
“I can tell you that as a self-published author who’s dealt with big and small retail buyers, management and staff in several countries, that this sort of relationship is the exception rather than the norm. I, too, hope that Bestseller’s presence here on Saipan won’t become and remain a memory forever.
“Thank you, Bestseller Books, on behalf of Saipan’s (and Guam’s) past, present and future writers.”
