Borders Books
 

Does anyone here work for Borders (or Waldenbooks), or have a relative who does?

I've always liked my local Borders bookstore, but based on on-line news, it looks like the end may be near.

Of course I know it's a sign of the times, but I am saddened whenever a purveyor of knowledge in the form of books appears to be going out of business. And, or course, more people potentially being laid off.

Well, maybe I can order a copy of "The Gold Plated Porsche" or other Porsche books at a low price....

Sad. Just sad.

Very sad, but the general population prefers pablum.

What is the topic of conversation at your workplace? I hear about reality shows, celebrity dating, celebrity marriages, celebrity legal issues, some hot (read this as not funny above 2nd grade) joke heard on some inane TV show, etc. Keep in mind, MOST of the people around me are college educated! Some of the more intelligent ones do not have a degree.

Back at the last place I worked in Texas some of us guys would get around and talk about hunting and gutting of animals and the cookouts to ensure when the pablum takers would sit around and discuss oprah or top model or celibrity this or reality that.... It usually moved them on and let us get back to work. I need this type of outlet to drive the heathens away!!!!


Anyway, poor business strategy, late into the internet, no off-line reader to compete with Amazon. It is very sad as it was a good place to go, sit, and peruse a book. At least our local library is still open. For now. The county has already shut off the arts in the schools (music, art, extra-curricula) don't know how much longer the library will last... Poor business model that, they buy books, people come in and take them out with a promise to return them, and there are no membership charges beyond being a possible taxpayer in the locality. You'd think they'd make more money if they gave away more books?

Our Borders closed down here about 3 months ago against much out cry , It had come into the island and all other book sellers went out of business. Also it had become quite the meeting place. Did book signings for local authors. art shows etc. quite a center place in the community.
Plus a must for our boys on town trips, they loved it.
They carried all the car mags I like to get.
Quite a loss.
Richard

I know the feeling because no matter how many search engines we have, there is something about looking for an answer in a book. The sad truth is that Borders and other bookstores have really become study rooms. They have replaced the libraries that I used to study in and with no financial benefit to the stores other than the coffee shops within.

I look at the book prices at book stores and know that any financially savvy person will buy online. My simple solution to compete with online would be match the pricing first and second to keep the doors open at a physical location, put together a membership program that provides a full on study room with computers etc, books, coffee that college students can go to study and make it relatively inexpensive. Volume should create the necessary revenue stream.

Chris, college students won't keep the doors open to any business.

To the OP: where have you been? Borders declared bankruptcy early this year. In LB, the 2 stores are gone, gone.

I wonder in time will this run full circle. And we will have a return to book stores as you describe. I have heard there are people who prefer type writers to computer word processing. However small in number there is a local store that sells refurbished units to those who want them.

The OP is more up to date than you, Milt.

While Borders Group filed for BK in February, the intent of the BK judge was to find a buyer (mostly private equity) to operate the company as an ongoing concern for their remaining 400 or so stores. Unchanged payment terms from publishers and lease terms from retail landlords have made that seemingly unlikely.

Final date for bids was today, and the only bidders left are liquidators. Auction is on Tuesday, and if the bone pickers win, as it appears they will, all the remaining stores will be closed in short order.



Tim

Yeah, my wife and I were in the Borders down here yesterday, Laguna Niguel or something, she wanted to order a book, the woman told her she wouldn't do it. Get it on line or someplace else.
That and Seattles Best has moved out so somethng is happening.

Just another nail in the coffin of the print biz. Ask any newspaper person about it.

No more borders around here. they shut down few months ago.

What is really unbelievable, is the very first thing you encounter when entering a Barnes and Noble is a counter pushing those "electronic book readers". Pretty disturbing.:(

Including the one down at the Pike?

If so that sucks. I bought Wayne's 911 books (both of them) there and always found it a really cool place to go chill out, relax and do a little reading/research.

I never was a fan of Seattle's Best. Ugh. I did patronize the one in there a few times but it never was my favorite.

RIP. Sad.

I would never read a book on my computer or other mobile device. I like having books in my hand. But then Borders did have a bit of a mark-up over Amazon. I only buy books from retail stores when I stumble upon something and need it for the flight home. When I know what I want in advance, I try half.com and then Amazon.

I don't see where I'm not up to date.

Yes, the Pike one is closing if not all done. They had the signs out, "Inventory Close Out."

Borders has been dying for a lpng time. Amazon ate their lunch...

See, that seems weird to me as the one here near the state college was always busy. I was never there that there weren't 30-40 people between the 2 floors and coffee bar which had an outside patio as well. There was always a wait at the registers too.

True that a dozen or so were students on the free wifi.

The Borders in Thousand Oaks closed some time ago. I miss that place.
Maybe it is that many of the social places we knew as younger folks are just out of date. But a great book store is hard to beat. Things change.

But B&N is still alive right?

Same here. I like the physical feel of a book. I tried one of those readers for about 5 mins. No way.

Same with catalogs. I like flipping through pages, not hitting a mouse button for the next item.

When I retire I would love to open a bookstore... but of course I would have to put the word antique in the name.

Hy house looks like a library... piles of books everywhere.