Bohemian Rhapsody.(Asian-American Bookseller)(Brief Article)

Two niche publishers are learning the benefits of a bookstore

ASK ANY RETAIL EXPERT about the best way to capture foot traffic, and they're not likely to mention Xeroxed flyers, a musty subterranean space or an office. But when your store boasts a sparkling publishing or writing program, it doesn't really matter. Just talk to the Asian-American Bookseller, the rapidly charging store in a basement in New York's East Village (a paper sign is the only thing that gives it away), or Incommunicado Press, the heralded small publisher that will soon open a bookstore in its New York City offices, as the two realize that synergy and cross-promotion makes sense for even the most niche-oriented of stores.

For seven years, the Asian-American Writers' Workshop has been publishing …