The winds of change are blowing at BookExpo America. Last week, the publishing industry’s top trade show arrived in Chicago for the first time since 2004.

Hardly anyone considers the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan to be comfortable, though the book business may have become settled in at the Javits as home of BEA for the last seven years.

“There were concerns from a lot of booksellers that the show was becoming too ‘Northeast-centric,” notes Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly editorial director. “[BEA show organizers] Reed Exhibitions were hearing (from booksellers) that they see the same people all the time.”