Oblong Books
Oblong Books is a family-owned independent bookstore operating two physical stores in Millerton and Rhinebeck, NY, plus e-commerce, serving Hudson Valley readers with curated books, signed editions, digital audiobooks/e-books, merchandise, gift cards, and 100+ author events per year.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersMillerton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Oblong Books does
Oblong Books is a privately held, family-owned independent bookstore operating two physical retail locations in the Hudson Valley — Millerton, NY (founded October 1975) and Rhinebeck, NY (opened September 2001) — co-owned by Dick Hermans and Suzanna Hermans. The company sells new releases, bestsellers, staff picks, signed books, and curated specialty collections (including the "America 250" and "Read the Hudson Valley" themes), supplemented by digital audiobook and e-book sales routed through Libro.fm and Bookshop.org affiliates, branded merchandise, and gift cards in both paper and digital form.
The core operating engine is a high-volume author events program running 100+ in-store and off-site events per year, including the White Hart Speaker Series (co-presented with The White Hart Inn and Scoville Memorial Library) and an annual Find Waldo Local scavenger hunt with 25–26 partner businesses per town. The technology stack is conventional retail: a WordStock inventory system (in place since 1985), a Drupal-based e-commerce site with curbside pickup and shipping, and Eventbrite for ticketed events. There is no proprietary platform; the model rests on curation, community, and event programming rather than technology differentiation.
Revenue derives primarily from one-time physical book sales across both storefronts and the e-commerce site, with secondary streams from audiobooks, e-books, merchandise, gift cards, ticketed event admissions (e.g., $15 White Hart tickets with book voucher), and a community fundraising program that donates a percentage of qualifying sales back to schools and nonprofits. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from $5.99 to $60 depending on format, with signed titles typically $15–$35. Customer segments are predominantly individual consumer readers in the Hudson Valley, with secondary B2B-style exposure to bulk book buyers and fundraising organizations. Oblong Books has no external institutional investment, no parent company, and no disclosed revenue figures.
Oblong Books firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Oblong Books
- Legal name
- Oblong Books
- Website
- https://oblongbooks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Oblong Books is a family-owned independent bookstore operating two physical stores in Millerton and Rhinebeck, NY, plus e-commerce, serving Hudson Valley readers with curated books, signed editions, digital audiobooks/e-books, merchandise, gift cards, and 100+ author events per year.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Oblong Books industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Bookstore
- NAICS
- Book Retailers and News Dealers (459210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Bookstores (New Books) (CRALAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Books & Audiobooks Retail (E-books/Audiobooks) (CRALAAAI), Specialty Genre Bookstores (e.g., Sci‑Fi, Mystery, Poetry) (CRALAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Oblong Books is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Millerton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Oblong Books business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Book Sales - Physical: Retail sale of physical books through two storefront locations in Millerton and Rhinebeck, NY, and via e-commerce website. Includes new releases, bestsellers, staff picks, signed books, and specialty collections.
- Audiobook Sales: Audiobook sales through Libro.fm integration, allowing customers to purchase digital audiobooks with a portion supporting the independent bookstore.
- E-book Sales: E-book sales through Bookshop.org partnership, enabling digital book purchases online.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including tote bags, drawstring backpacks, and Hudson Valley Book Trail items. Physical products sold in-store and online.
- Gift Cards: Both paper gift certificates (mailable for free, usable in-store at both locations) and online gift codes (emailed immediately, redeemable on website only). Gift cards never expire.
- Event-related Sales: Books sold at author events and book launches, often with author signings. Some events require ticket purchase that includes book vouchers or discounts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mass market and paperback fiction/nonfiction |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Signed and autographed books |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Event tickets with book inclusion |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Oblong Books product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Oblong Books is an independent bookstore that sells physical books, e-books, and audiobooks, along with branded merchandise and gift cards, through two physical retail locations in the Hudson Valley (Millerton and Rhinebeck, NY) and an e-commerce website. The company also hosts over 100 author events, book launches, and speaker series annually, including the White Hart Speaker Series, and operates a fundraising program for schools and nonprofits. Signed books and staff-curated selections are key differentiators of the offering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Book Sales (General)
- Signed Books
- Audiobooks (via Libro.fm)
- E-Books (via Bookshop.org)
- Oblong Merch
- Gift Cards
- Author Events & Book Launches
- Online Ordering with Store Pickup & Delivery
- Community Fundraising Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 author events hosted annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Oblong Books
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Oblong Books technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Oblong Books partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Morton Memorial LibrarycorePresented in partnership with Morton Memorial Library for Thomas S. Wermuth's FIRE & FREEDOM event. The library hosted the event at their Rhinecliff, NY location (fully wheelchair accessible).
- White Hart InncoreThe White Hart Speaker Series is a partnership between Oblong Books, The White Hart Inn (Salisbury, CT), and Scoville Memorial Library. Venues rotate between the inn and library locations. The inn provides fully wheelchair accessible space with on-site parking and serves as a ticketed event venue.
- Scoville Memorial LibrarycoreCo-presenter of the White Hart Speaker Series alongside Oblong Books and The White Hart Inn. Rotating venue partner for author events in the Salisbury, CT area.
- Rhinebeck Writers RetreatminorOblong supports the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, participating in events to meet retreat writers and featuring their musical works. Community partnership supporting local literary arts.
- Schools and NonprofitscoreFundraising program where supporters of schools and nonprofits shop at Oblong during designated hours/days and Oblong donates a percentage of sales back to the organization. Contact via [email protected] to arrange.
- Hudson Valley Book TrailminorParticipating merchant in the Hudson Valley Book Trail - a network of bookstores and literary-related businesses in the region. Sells branded Book Trail merchandise including tote bags and canvas maps. Drives book tourism to the store.
- Libro.fmminorAudiobook platform partnership allowing Oblong customers to purchase audiobooks through libro.fm/oblongbooks, with a portion of sales supporting the independent bookstore.
- Bookshop.orgminorE-book sales partnership at bookshop.org/shop/oblongbooks, enabling online e-book purchases that support the independent bookstore through affiliate revenue.
- Local Businesses (Rhinebeck and Millerton)minorParticipating businesses in the annual Find Waldo Local scavenger hunt. 26 businesses in Rhinebeck and 25+ in Millerton participate, driving community engagement and foot traffic to all participating stores including Oblong Books.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Oblong Books competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Strand Bookstore: Iconic independent bookstore in New York City, founded in 1927. Directly comparable as a long-running, family/independently operated general bookstore with deep community roots, a curated signed-book program, and a strong event calendar.
- Politics and Prose: Independent bookstore in Washington, D.C. with a renowned author events program and curated signed editions. Closely comparable to Oblong on business model, event-led customer acquisition, and community-anchored positioning.
- Powell's City of Books: Major independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon with multiple locations, a robust events calendar, and a strong online storefront. Comparable as a multi-store independent with omnichannel retail and deep community ties.
- Tattered Cover Book Store: Long-established independent bookstore in the Denver area with multiple locations and a strong events and signed-edition program. Directly comparable to Oblong on indie general-bookstore model and event-driven customer engagement.
- Parnassus Books: Independent bookstore in Nashville founded by author Ann Patchett. Closely comparable on community-anchored indie model, signed editions, and an active events program that drives foot traffic and loyalty.
- Greenlight Bookstore: Independent bookstore with locations in Brooklyn, NY. Comparable as a community-driven indie with curated staff picks, an active events calendar, and an e-commerce channel similar to Oblong's omnichannel setup.
- Northshire Bookstore: Independent bookstore in Manchester, Vermont with multiple locations and a strong events program serving a rural/upstate New York-adjacent region. Closely comparable on regional indie positioning, signed books, and event-led growth.
- The Bookstore Plus: Independent bookstore in Lake Placid, NY serving the Adirondacks region. Comparable as a small, community-driven upstate New York indie with curated inventory and regional event partnerships.
Emerging players
- Bookshop.org: Online e-book and print book marketplace designed to support independent bookstores via affiliate revenue. Comparable as a channel partner Oblong uses (via its bookshop.org storefront) and as a structural alternative to Amazon in indie book retail.
- Libro.fm: Independent-friendly audiobook platform that shares revenue with partner bookstores. Comparable as the digital audiobook channel Oblong uses to extend its retail offering and capture digital-format revenue without building proprietary infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Oblong Books social profiles
Digital presenceOblong Books financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Oblong Books leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Oblong Books funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Oblong Books M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Oblong Books
What does Oblong Books do?
Oblong Books is an independent bookstore that sells physical books, e-books, and audiobooks, along with branded merchandise and gift cards, through two physical retail locations in the Hudson Valley (Millerton and Rhinebeck, NY) and an e-commerce website. The company also hosts over 100 author events, book launches, and speaker series annually, including the White Hart Speaker Series, and operates a fundraising program for schools and nonprofits. Signed books and staff-curated selections are key differentiators of the offering.
Is Oblong Books a public or private company?
Oblong Books is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Oblong Books founded?
Oblong Books was founded in 1975. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Oblong Books based?
Oblong Books is headquartered in Millerton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Oblong Books make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Book Sales - Physical is the primary driver. The others are audiobook Sales, E-book Sales, merchandise Sales, gift Cards and event-related Sales.
Who are Oblong Books's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Strand Bookstore, Politics and Prose, Powell's City of Books, Tattered Cover Book Store, Parnassus Books, Greenlight Bookstore, Northshire Bookstore and The Bookstore Plus. Emerging players are Bookshop.org and Libro.fm.
Does Oblong Books have an API?
No public API is recorded for Oblong Books.
What industry is Oblong Books in?
Oblong Books's product category is Independent Bookstore. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAAAA, General Bookstores (New Books), with a secondary code of CRALAAAI, Digital Books & Audiobooks Retail (E-books/Audiobooks). Its NAICS code is 459210.