{{short description|American book publishing company}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox publisher | image = 220px|Llewellyn Worldwide | parent = | status = | founded = 1901 | founder = Llewellyn George | successor = | country = United States | headquarters = Woodbury, Minnesota | distribution = {{plainlist| * self-distributed (US) * Publishers Group UK (UK) * Faradawn (South Africa) * Akasha Books & Gifts (New Zealand)<ref>[https://booksellers.llewellyn.com/order_international.php International Sales]</ref> * Brumby Sunstate (Australia)<ref>[https://www.brumbysunstate.com.au/Content/website/exclusive-suppliers Our Suppliers]</ref>}} | keypeople = | publications = Books | topics = New Age | genre = | imprints = | revenue = | numemployees = | nasdaq = | url = {{URL|http://www.llewellyn.com}} }}'''Llewellyn Worldwide''', formerly '''Llewellyn Publications''', is a New Age<ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-11-02 |title=New Age: Part I |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-monitor-new-age-part-i/186301331/ |access-date=2025-12-06 |work=The Monitor |pages=37}}</ref> and occult<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology |publisher=Gale Group |year=2001 |isbn=0-8103-9488-X |editor-last=Melton |editor-first=J. Gordon |editor-link=J. Gordon Melton |edition=5th |location=Detroit |pages=629, 927 |language=en}}</ref> publisher based in Woodbury, Minnesota. It was founded in 1901 by the astrologist Llewellyn George (1876–1954)<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=1951-08-24 |title=Publishing Firm In Existence Here 30 Years |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-vanguard-publishing-firm-in-exis/186301178/ |access-date=2025-12-06 |work=Evening Vanguard |pages=4}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> in Portland, Oregon, as the Llewellyn Publishing Company.
==History== Llewellyn Worldwide was formed in 1901 by the astrologist Llewellyn George (1876–1954) in Portland, Oregon, as the Llewellyn Publishing Company. With it, he founded the Portland School of Astrology.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Byle |first=Ann |date=2021-07-31 |title=Llewellyn Marks 120 Years of Publishing |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/87034-llewellyn-marks-120-years-of-publishing.html |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref> At first the company concentrated exclusively on astrology, in the form of both books and annuals. It was at that time the leading astrology publisher in the United States. They published the works of several prominent astrologers and published the Moon Sign Book, edited by George.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The company moved to Los Angeles in 1920.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Following George's death in 1954, the Moon Sign Book was edited by Sydney Omarr.<ref name=":0" />
The company was bought out by a printing company and operated by Richard Juline starting in 1958,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1957-08-05 |title=Llewellyn Publishers Under New Direction |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-vanguard-llewellyn-publishers-un/186301195/ |access-date=2025-12-06 |work=Evening Vanguard |pages=45}}</ref> before being bought out by George's relative Carl L. Weschcke in 1960. Weschcke moved the headquarters to St. Paul, Minnesota, and renamed the company Llewellyn Publications.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Under his ownership, they shifted away from astrology and began to publisher general books on the occult, including on topics related to witchcraft and Wicca.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> They operated several periodicals in this period, ''Aquarian Age Preview'', ''Astrology Now'', ''Llewellyn's New Times'', and ''Gnostica''.<ref name=":0" /> In 1970 they opened a retail bookstore in Minneapolis, Gnostica.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1971-03-13 |title=Occult--religion outside the church--growing |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-occult-religion-ou/186301289/ |access-date=2025-12-06 |work=The Minneapolis Star |pages=9}}</ref> It closed after only a few years. That decade they also sponsored an annual New Age festival, the Aquarian Age Festival.<ref name=":0" /> In 1988 they bought the paranormal-focused ''Fate'' magazine.<ref name="Zellar2001">{{Cite magazine |last=Zellar |first=Brad |date=2001-07-23 |title=Llewellyn cuts 13 |magazine=Publishers Weekly |location=New York City |pages=18 |language=en-US |volume=248 |issue=30 |issn=0000-0019}}</ref>
Declines in sales in 2001 spurred the company toward layoffs and a restructure of its sales and marketing departments in 2002. They also sold ''Fate'' to a company owned by its editor-in-chief, Galde Press.<ref name="Zellar2001" /><ref name=":5" /> By the end of 2003 the company had rebounded with $16 million in gross sales.<ref name=":5">{{Cite magazine |last=Kirch |first=Claire |date=2004-01-12 |title=Llewellyn looks to the stars |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20040112/36058-llewellyn-looks-to-the-stars.html |magazine=Publishers Weekly |location=New York City}}</ref> In 2001, they were described by scholar J. Gordon Melton as "one of the largest publishing and wholesaling organizations of occult, witchcraft, and magical literature in the United States".<ref name=":0" /> Its offices were later moved to the St. Paul suburb of Woodbury.<ref name=":2" /> They launched a mystery imprint in 2005, its first imprint, Midnight Ink.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kirch |first=Claire |date=2004-10-25 |title=Llewellyn Adding Mystery Imprint |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20041025/20143-llewellyn-adding-mystery-imprint.html |access-date=2025-12-06 |work=Publishers Weekly |pages=12 |volume=251 |issue=43 |issn=0000-0019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ayers |first=Jeff |date=2005-04-01 |title=Mystery Goes Global |work=Library Journal |pages=36–39 |volume=130 |issue=6 |issn=0363-0277}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Kirch |first=Claire |date=2018-10-18 |title=Llewellyn to Close Its Midnight Ink Fiction Imprint |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/78358-llewellyn-to-shut-down-midnight-ink-fiction-imprint.html |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en}}</ref> A year later, Llewellyn launched its second fiction imprint, Flux Books, which was focused on young adult fiction.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-04-25 |title=BEA 2011: Around the Booths |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/46974-bea-2011-around-the-booths.html |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Kirch |first=Claire |date=2016-07-07 |title=Llewellyn Sells YA Imprint Flux to North Star Editions |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/70850-llewellyn-sells-ya-imprint-flux-to-north-star-editions.html |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en}}</ref> Flux was sold to North Star Editions in 2016.<ref name=":4" /> In 2018, the Midnight Ink imprint was shuttered due to low sales.<ref name=":3" /> Sales for Llewellyn as a whole increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=":2" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official}}
Category:New Age organizations Category:Modern pagan media Category:Book publishing companies based in Minnesota Category:Publishing companies established in 1901 Category:Occult book publishing companies