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Australian Owned
Collins Booksellers is an Australian owned private company comprising 34
franchised outlets.
Beginnings
The business was founded by Frederick Henry (Harry) Slamen in 1922 and
operated as a newsagency at 622 Collins Street (hence the name) in
Melbourne. It was registered in 1929 as a Proprietary Limited Company under
the name Collins Book Depot when it opened two new branches at 95 Elizabeth
Street and 361 Swanston Street in Melbourne. Mr Slamen remained the
principal of the company until his untimely death in 1961. Today, the
company is wholly owned by the franchisees.
Expansion
Following Harry Slamen's death, Michael G. Zifcak who joined the company in
1950 was appointed General Manager and in 1963 became Managing Director of
the company. He retired in October 2001. During the 1960s the expansion of
the company followed the then emerging pattern in the United States, where
bookshops began moving from strip shopping centres to regional shopping
centres. The first Collins Booksellers shopping centre branch was opened in
1966 at the Northland Shopping Centre in the Melbourne suburb of East
Preston. Following the collapse of the company store in April 2005 the 31 franchise stores regrouped and are now on an expansion path. Presently at 34 stores they are looking to expand their presence in regional and suburban areas Australia wide and strengthen their alliance with ABC centres of which they presently hold Australia wide.
Company PhilosophyCollins Booksellers is a specialist, professional bookselling company.
Through its long history it has concentrated its activities on one central
theme: providing the customer with the highest level of service possible.
Collins considers bookselling to be a people business, first and foremost
and believes that it is in the commitment to people - customers and staff -
that the future of the company lies. All staff are continually encouraged to
increase their product knowledge and levels of customer service. Assistance
in Collins' stores is friendly and helpful, but never obtrusive. By
providing the widest possible range of books and book-related merchandise
with a knowledgeable and courteous staff, Collins strives to maintain its
position as Australia's pre-eminent bookseller.
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