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In a notable development, the Globe Pequot Publishing Group is set to acquire Square One Publishers in a transaction expected to finalize on May 1. Details regarding the financial terms of the deal have not been revealed.
Founded in 1999 by Rudy Shur, Square One Publishers has established a reputation for its diverse range of nonfiction titles covering subjects such as business, personal finance, cooking, health, history, parenting, and self-help. The publisher boasts a robust backlist of around 500 titles. Noteworthy publications include Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith’s What You Must Know About Women’s Hormones, a leading reference in American Sign Language titled Talking With Your Hands, Listening With Your Eyes, and the well-known Gentle Revolution parenting series created in collaboration with the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential.
Post-acquisition, Shur will retain a key role, continuing to oversee and curate titles for the Square One imprint. Globe Pequot’s CEO, Jed Lyons, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I have known and admired Rudy Shur for decades. He has a keen sense of what resonates with readers and a proven ability to develop a deep catalog of enduring titles. We are thrilled to add his expertise to our expanding program.”
Shur’s journey began after he sold his first venture, Avery Publishing, to Penguin. Reflecting on this, he noted, “After my two partners forced me to sell my first house, I found myself ‘back at square one,’ which is what inspired the name of my next publishing venture.” Shur has made a name for himself within independent publishing, being among the pioneers who marketed books beyond conventional retail channels.
The acquisition of Square One follows Globe Pequot’s earlier purchase of Florida-based Waterford Press in March. These strategic moves come in the wake of Lyons’s sale of the Rowman and Littlefield academic publisher to Bloomsbury for $83 million last year, which enabled him to concentrate more on trade publishing. Since that transaction, Lyons has also decided to integrate Globe Pequot’s affiliated company, NBN, shifting its distribution clients to Simon & Schuster. Until this transition is completed on September 1, Square One books will continue to be distributed by NBN.
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www.publishersweekly.com