In its first year of operation in 1917, Anderson News Company had sales of about $2,000. Today the four companies that grew from that small beginning have combined sales of over $3 billion and employ more than 11,000 associates, 1,728 in Alabama.
Directing much of that growth has been Charles Caine Anderson, the son of the founder. Charles C. Anderson now is chairman of the Executive Committee of Books-A-Million, Inc., Anderson News Corporation, American Promotional Events, Inc., and Treat Entertainment.
Charles C. Anderson was born November 20, 1934, in Florence, Alabama, to Ruth Keenum and Clyde W. Anderson. He attended Coffee High School and graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. After graduating in 1956 from UNA, he entered the family business, Anderson News Company, full time. He had worked part-time in the business since high school.
In 1956 the company operated three trucks and wholesaled magazines and paperback books in the North Alabama area.
From this company four separate companies have emerged: Anderson News Corporation, Treat Entertainment, Inc., American Promotional Events, Inc., and Books-A-Million, Inc. Anderson remains active in the companies and is chairman of the Executive Committee and on the Board of Directors of each company.
In the early years, the company’s two newsstands in Florence handled tobacco, soft drinks, etc., and sold fireworks during the Christmas season. The fireworks portion of the business was later expanded to include wholesale to other dealers in the area and continued until the state banned fireworks in 1946.
In 1957, Alabama again legalized the sale of fireworks and the family re-entered the business. Company growth since that time has been phenomenal.
Charles was joined in business in 1963 by his brother, Joel, ten years his junior. The brothers continue to work together today. In 1976, Charles’ oldest son, Charles Jr., entered the business and is currently president and CEO of Anderson News Corporation, with Joel serving as chairman.
Anderson News Company’s three trucks in 1956 have grown to a fleet of 3027 vehicles today. Anderson News is the largest magazine distributor in the U.S., the second-largest music distributor, and one of the largest book distributors. The company currently services over 40,000 retailers each week (including all major chains) with full in-store service.
Today American Promotional Events is headed by Charles’ son, Terrence, its president and CEO, and is the largest fireworks importer and distributor in the U.S., servicing 42 states. It operates under the trade name TNT Fireworks.
Anderson was the first business leader in the U.S. to receive a personal invitation to trade with China in 1972 immediately after President Nixon’s visit and was one of the first American businessmen to visit China since 1948. He traveled to Mainland China on April 15, 1972. China is considered to be the birthplace of gunpowder, a major ingredient in fireworks.
In 1962, the family began a new business, importing and publishing numismatic and philatelic items, which usually require a magnifier to view in detail. In that same year, Whitman Publishing placed with Anderson the largest order for magnifiers ever placed in the United States. As the coin and stamp business grew the company began to publish price guides to complete its line of folders, albums, and magnifiers. The company, Treat Entertainment, is lead by Charles’ son Harold, the chairman and CEO. Treat Entertainment’s subsidiary, H. E. Harris, is the largest numismatic and philatelic distributor in the U.S. Last year H. E. Harris entered a license agreement partnership with the U.S. Mint to produce an official U.S. Mint line of products to be sold at retail to the mass market. Treat Entertainment also publishes children’s books under the name Dalmatian Press, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The company recently acquired C. R. Gibson Company, which publishes inspirational albums and journals. The company recently completed a 186,000-square foot C.R. Gibson distribution center in Florence.
In 1963, the company purchased the House of Coins, which published the Black Book Coin and other guidebooks. The name was changed to House of Collectibles and Anderson continued to publish the Black Book Coin and other guidebooks until they sold House of Coins to Random House Publishing several years ago.
In 1962, Anderson together with Chan Fu Yu formed A. Yu Far East Co. in Hong Kong. The company exports consumer products from the Far East, particularly China. It has offices in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Canton, and Changsha with packaging facilities and warehouses in Shenzhen and Changsha. Today, Anco Far East is one of the largest exporters of fireworks from China.
In 1964, the family purchased a retail bookstore in Huntsville and later opened a second in the Huntsville Mall known as Bookland. Bookland continued its growth and entered the superstore business under its Books-A-Million banner. Books-A-Million became a public company on November 2, 1992. Books-A-Million stock is traded in the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol BAMM. Books-A-Million is one of the nation’s leading book retailers and sells on the Internet at www.booksamillion.com. The company presently operates 204 stores in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The company’s wholesale operations include American Wholesale Book Company and BookSmart, both based in Florence; and NetCentral, Inc., an Internet development and service company located in Nashville, Tennessee. The company today is under the leadership of Charles’ son, Clyde, its chairman and CEO.
In 1980, the family purchased Hibbett Sporting Goods, an Alabama sporting goods chain of fourteen stores. Hibbett began a rapid growth that culminated in the company going public on October 16, 1996, and the family sold most of its interest.
Anderson is a former director of First National Bank of Florence and First United Bancorp, the University of Alabama International Business Advisory Board, and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Board. He is a member of The University of Alabama President’s Cabinet and the University of North Alabama President’s Cabinet. He is a former member of the Board of Visitors, International Advisory Board, The University of Alabama; former member of the State Democratic Executive Committee; a charter member of the Board for the Shoals Economic Development Authority; former president, National Pyrotechnics Distributors Association; former president, Alabama Numismatic Association; and a former member of the Board of Directors, Heritage Trust Fund.
Anderson has given freely of his time and financial resources to many charitable causes and civic projects. For more than twenty years he has taken an active interest in the Salvation Army and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army of the Shoals and Selma, Alabama. Mr. Anderson and his family have had a long-standing interest in literacy and recently made a substantial contribution to the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. He has made many contributions to universities, schools, and many other charitable causes through the Charles and Hilda Anderson Foundation and the Anderson Foundation. He also recently founded The Hobo Foundation for the benefit of animal shelters in North Alabama.
Mr. Anderson has been married for 50 years to the former Hilda Claire Barbour, his high school sweetheart. Their home in Florence is a testament to their love of nature and wildlife, which includes walking trails, fishponds, and native plants. They attend Westminster Presbyterian Church. They have four sons: Charles C., Jr., Terrence C., Clyde B., and Harold M., and 11 grandchildren.
