Nova Enterprises
| Name: | Nova Enterprises |
| Date(s): | 1970/1971- |
| Profit/Nonprofit: | profit |
| Country based in: | US |
| Focus: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Nova Enterprises was a fan-run company created and operated by Elyse Rosenstein and Steven Rosenstein.
Initially, it sold only Trek-related products, both fannish as well as professionally published Trek books in some sort of intermediary way between Ballantine Books. [1]
.
The company was originally called "Cyrano Jones' Trading Post," changing its name to "Nova Enterprises" in January 1973.
It was active beginning at least in 1971, perhaps 1970, as there was an 2-page ad in The Log of the U.S.S. Enterprise #1 (1970) advertising Star Trek film clips, tapes and photos.
While Pines started Nova as a predominately Star Trek mail-order business, over the years it grew into an international mail-order bookseller of SF&F books, records, role-playing games and equipment, and specialty publications. As of about 2020, Star Trek represented 10% to 20% of the complete catalog.
A Different "Cyrano Jones' Trading Post
This is NOT the same outfit as the 1974 "Cyrano Jones' Trading Post" which was a Star Trek section at a Missouri, US book store called "The Book Rack" and the producer of the monthly bulletin, Sub-Space Chatter.
Similar Companies
See List of Fan Run Star Trek Merchandising Companies.
What It Sold
"Nova Enterprises" sold fanworks (convention programs and zines) as well as professionally-produced goods (film clips, I Am Not Spock, LPs, photos, tapes...).
A Lot of Cross-Pollination
It was the "Nova Enterprises'" mimeograph that produced a number of the old zines, and example of the melding of many fans' creative endeavors.
Devra Langsam wrote in he editorial of Masiform D #7 in July 1978:
Well, friends, it's finally happened. My dear old mimeo will no longer feed reliably (I don't call a system where you have to hold the paperweight with your finger reliable), and the motor on the NOVA Enterprises shook the house so much that the landlady called down to find out what kind of factory I was running beneath her. The repairman cheer fully informed me that the Rosensteins' universal joint (that which connects the motor to the printer, transmitting power from the one to the other—rather like a dilithium crystal) was GONE. Sorry, lady. Of course it works manually — I just can't run the motor. SOOO—I have finally broken down (after hand-cranking 114 pages for Trexindex — NO, no, Barbara; don't hit me. YOU hand-cranked 99 of the pages!) and ordered a New second-hand mimeo. Until it arrives, I'm using yet another leaner machine. Thanks, Roger. Meanwhile, I'm supposed to get my own new one in time to finish printing this. Pray for me.
From a 1977 ad for Inside Star Trek:
On INSIDE STAR TREK, creator Gene Roddenberry reveals the behind-the-scenes story of his legendary television show for the very first time! Hear, in Gene's own words, and those of of the Enterprise's top guns, never-before revealed tales about the origins of the series, and its place in the history of science fiction.
INSIDE STAR TREK is a full-length, long-playing album devoted to STAR TREK, in the actual words and voices of the people who made it happen. What was Spock's childhood like? Was there really a feud between STAR TREK's two stars? When did the network executives start to invade Federation territory? How did struggles with network censors affect the U.S.S. Enterprise, her crew, and the planets around them? Why was STAR TREK taken off the air? How did Kirk's personality affect William Shatner? What was the philosophy behind the show?
These are but a few topics explored on INSIDE STAR TREK! The album is scheduled for release on October 15th, and yours will be sent to you in a corrugated cardboard mailer. To obtain your copy, just send $6.95 (New York City & State residents please add sales tax) to us, along with your name and address. Do you know someone who would like to receive INSIDE STAR TREK as a gift? We will gladly mail this historic album for you to your favorite Trekker at no additional cost. INSIDE STAR TREK is probably the most important STAR TREK documentary ever recorded, and we at Nova take pleasure in being able to offer it to you. Why not order yours, today!
The Third Catalog: January 1973
first page, explains the company's name change
page two
page three
page four
page five
page six
page seven
page eight
page nine
last page
A 1976 Flyer
part of the 1976 catalog
part of the 1976 catalog
- ^ as per a 1976 ad in an August Party program book