The growing market for bargain inspirational books has been shaken up with the exit of category pioneer SAS & Associates.

The assets of the company, whose "speed table" promotions have become increasingly popular with stores in the past few years, have been sold to Wholesale Christian Books (WCB), a division of Treasures Media.

The Racine, Wis.-based discount distributor has also taken over SAS & Associates' Inspirational Value Book Show--which ends today in Nashville--and its majority interest in International Closeout Solutions (ICS).

The acquisitions were announced by Treasures Media President Jerry Bloom, who said that the WCB and SAS services would continue to operate separately for the time being, with a rebranding at a later date.

SAS President Steve Slack Jr. said that the sale would allow he and his father, Steve Slack, who founded the business in 1998, to concentrate on a new business, Five Star Closeouts, which operates temporary Christian bookstores selling remainders and bargain titles for $5 each. SAS & Associates is to be dissolved.

Slack and Bloom described the deal as a "passing of the baton" in the remainders market. The Slacks had "set the industry standard," Bloom said, and when he learned that they were focusing their attention elsewhere, it seemed like "a perfect fit" for WCB to step in. "We have grown the business significantly through the Christian and secular market and we could easily see doubling our sales in 2010."

Sherri Goodknight continues as president of ICS, founded last year to handle closeouts for publishers and distributors. "I am very excited about the changes," she said, adding that WCB's breadth of inventory would strengthen the speed-table program.

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