There's a filter on their "media" page where you can see what media they own in what country. The U.S. to me looks like one of the countries where they're still expanding (and mostly quietly, behind the scenes). But there's no getting around them in Europe (and obviously Germany in particular). They're a real heavyweight here, and obviously they've decided that social media is the way to go these days.

Still, I agree, the mere fact that it's apparently not Amazon is a good thing, at least for the time being.

Reply to post #1223 (show post):
I'm not a hundred percent sure they've bought BL, though. If you look at the exact phrasing, they bought the first company this couple created, and then BL's owners seem to be unnamed.

In Familiar Diversion's posts, the comments reflect this uncertainty.

Reply to post #1225 (show post):
Fair enough. Some posts seem to indicate it's them, and I was too tired to scroll up. Coffee. Lucky. I'm going to get food for breakfast before work because I was too exhausted to do anything about that situation last night.

Then again, I realize I both started and ended the day with ice cream, so some of the day was good.

Reply to post #1223 (show post):
They aren't claiming to be a major player in the U.S. -- sorry if I created a false impression there.

They ARE a major player in Europe. And from what I am seeing, *my* assessment is that they're also aiming to be one in the U.S.

They're into *all* media. They started with magazines, but expanded into other outlets as those became "the next thing" or "the current big thing". Social media to them is just one more branch of media.

Reply to post #1224 (show post):
As I said elsewhere, all we know is that they bought the company named the same way as the first *website* this couple created. Whether both websites are in fact (directly or indirectly) owned by the same company, none of us knows at this time. However, given the business they are in, and what seems to have been their expansion strategy already in the past, they'd HAVE to want to take a look at acquiring BookLikes as well.

But we'll only know for certain if and when someone deigns to actually tell us what's going on.

Reply to post #1228 (show post):
Alright, with the help of Google Translator (since the website is in Polish only, which I don't speak), I had a look at the website of the Polish company registry. BookLikes is registered as a limited liability company under Polish law ("Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością", or "Sp.z.o.o." for short).

On the website, both Dawid Piaskowski and Johanna Grzelak Piaskowska are still listed as chairman and board member, respectively. However, the papers for their replacement as the company's officers may well already have been filed; it typically takes a while for the change to acutally show in the registry data, because they have to undergo judicial review before the changes are actually entered in the registry.

The Polish registry does *not* list the owners of a given company as part of the data available for free over the internet.

Here's the page in question: https://ems.ms.gov.pl/krs/danepodmiotu

Or if that link doesn't take you directly to the results, go to this page:
https://ems.ms.gov.pl/krs/wyszukiwaniepodmiotu?t:lb=t
-- then check the two boxes at the top of the search field, enter "BookLikes" in the search field named "Nazwa" (for "Name"), don't forget to enter the security code shown below the search fields, and hit the "Szukaj" ("Search") button.

In the right column of the search results you're getting, there will be a link named "Wyświetl" ("View"). Click on that, and you'll be taken to the publicly available company data.

I don't doubt that the company - the magazine industry in general - might be interested in social media outreaches, including BL. Is there a possibility that they were bought by the same company? Of course. Even a good possibility.

And wouldn't it be nice to be told something?

Reply to post #1231 (show post):
"And wouldn't it be nice to be told something?"

Yes, that's what we seem to be coming back to again and again, unfortunately! :(

Reply to post #1233 (show post):
Still, since no one is answering, I figured kvetching about it wasn't too out of line.

Reply to post #1232 (show post):
... which, alas, managed to add exactly zero to the stuff that Familiar Diversions and YouKneeK had already uncovered! :)

FWIW, there are also two companies that have the word "Okazjum" in their name (and none called "Okazjum.pl"). These seem to have different corporate officers than BookLikes, and one of them also has "grupa" in its name, which may hint to it possibly being a parent company of other companies.

Reply to post #1234 (show post):
Kvetching is totally in line and totally called for -- there is little else we can do and anyway, this just isn't the way to treat a community that one has, until now, always claimed to treasure!

Reply to post #1236 (show post):
Agreed. Still, off to read a bit before work. I can only kvetch so much.

Likewise approve, but I will take a Shiner with my book.

I’m just home from work and trying to catch up aaaalll the posts and comments sitting in my notifications!

I just wanted to say thanks Themis-Athena, for the additional info you found! Any info or educated speculation is nice to see while we’re all sitting here in the dark. :)

I just don't know what to make of all of this. I just know that the thought of this place suddenly going away has me very upset.