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Bookstore war targets l'Androgyne?
L'Androgyne owner France Désilets smells a fish. For months, Désilets has been anxiously awaiting the release of a major new book, Éloge de la diversité sexuelle by Montreal author Michel Dorais. But when it was finally released last week, her store didn't receive its shipment. She called the distributor, Sogides, to find out why. "They told me our account was on hold, but that's nonsense. I received shipments of other titles from them earlier that week," she told the Mirror. Even so, Sogides stalled for a few more days before finally sending L'Androgyne's shipment. What's fishy about it, according to Désilets, is that Sogides is a major shareholder in Quebec mega-bookseller Renaud-Bray--which just happens to be opening a new store in the heart of the gay village. Désilets isn't sure whether the stalling tactic was deliberate, but let's just say she doesn't think that's the last time it will happen. "A distributor should not own shares in a retailer," she says. "It leads to all kinds of preferential treatments and unfair practices." --Philip Preville
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