The event moderators will be Alsace Walentine, owner of Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida and Janet Geddis, owner of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia.

SIBA has seen unprecedented growth in its membership in 2024-2025, averaging approximately 50 new bookstores per year, and the organization expect to reach 300 bookstore members by the end of 2025. Many of the new members are also brand new or not-yet-open bookstores. SIBA created the New and Prospective Bookstore Owners Retreat in order to provide networking opportunities, access to resources, and to help these new businesses succeed.

The retreat is intended for prospective and new (open under two years) bookstore owners to give them an opportunity to share information and advice on the challenges of establishing a new business.