Classic Motorbooks bookshop label


A trip to the Indy 500 last month reminded me of a set of 1960s/early 1970s Autocourse books I came across last year. The 1969 volume had a bookshop label from Classic Motorbooks in Minneapolis. I thought about removing it, but I let it go. The set quickly sold and I regretted not saving the label from the '69 volume. But I did take a picture of it.

I was curious to see if the bookshop still existed; after all, it's been nearly 40 years since that label was affixed to the rear pastedown. To my surprise, it does exist, albeit in a dramatically altered state from its humble beginnings in 1965 in a Minneapolis garage. Through expansion, publishing, name changes, and changes of ownership and business focus, Classic Motorbooks morphed into MBI Publishing and its three imprints: Motorbooks, Voyageur Press, and Zenith Press. And they were purchased last year by Quay Publishing.

Over the last 40 years, the little bookshop grew, got into publishing, grew more, and hopped around the country in a succession of coast-to-coast acquisitions. Earlier this year, Quay moved the company headquarters back to Minneapolis where it all began. And today Motorbooks.com continues the vision of its original owner, Thomas Warth, selling good books to motorsports enthusiasts. Read more about the company's history here.

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