As 2022 draws to a close, we sit back and ponder the awesome realization that in January of 2023, All About Books LLC, will be turning twenty years old.

Twenty years... It is a difficult number to comprehend. A difficult number to quantify how much we have learned, how much we have grown, and how much has changed since we took a chance two decades ago. A chance on the idea of serving the children and organizations dedicated to the cause of literacy, opportunity, and success.

It was not an easy decision; it was a gamble. It was a book market few suppliers knew, understood, or cared about; a book market dominated by high barriers and scant players in dire need of innovation, efficiency, and change.

In 2003, when the opportunity to assume the mantle of a company that had tried and fell short of the vision to improve the children’s literacy market, we jumped on it. Our mission was simple: make age-appropriate, quality books for literacy programs as accessible and affordable as possible.

From the get-go, with less than five employees, it’s safe to say we had a bit of a rocky beginning. I (Dan) still remember sitting in our small office, fresh out of college in my twenties, with another employee – newly emigrated to this country (still learning English) – when the phone rang. We looked at each other – the fear was palpable – as we played a game of chicken as to who was going to answer it.

Somehow, me managed to make it through. But regardless of the actual customer experience, it was the beginning of something new. An idea we could only hope for, aspire to, and yet impossible to predict.

Fast forward twenty years: our employee numbers have grown into the double digits! The days of nerve-wracking phone calls are behind us, and instead we eagerly await to hear from our customers. Our dedication to delivering on that original promise of service, despite the myriad challenges – a recession, a pandemic, a new software system, website, etc. – has remained undeterred.

As our small business continues to grow, we could not be more thankful for each one of our wonderful customers. The work we do continues to be rewarding with every order that leaves our warehouse. Your support throughout the years has been endlessly valuable and we hope to continue to build our relationships together for the next 20 years and beyond.

Cheers to 20 years of All About Books!
Tom, Janice, Chuck, and Dan Abate