10 ms·

definitely going to suck to have a world where you can't go chill out somewhere and check out some new books and magazines. Not to mention 10,000 more jobs gone

lutorm 15y ago
There are always the locally owned, independent bookstores. If any are left...
- illumen 15y ago
  There's usually a really good indi book store right where the borders are(or used to be). Their tactic was to move in near the best, most popular store in each areas. I'm glad they're gone.
  - ams6110 15y ago
    That's what they did here. The indy looked at what he was facing and didn't even bother. He sold his inventory and closed down before he lost his shirt. That was over a decade ago; now that Borders is gone, closed last fall. B&N is the only real bookstore left in the area. There are a couple of independents but they have very limited inventory and seem to make their living selling a lot of accessories, pens, and stationery.
- runevault 15y ago
  That last part of your statement is important. B&N and Borders drove a pretty large # of indy bookstores out of business (and Wal*mart killed a few more as I understand it, going out of their way to increase stock in certain areas until the Indies bought it, then going back to normal book habits). I hope this event helps cause a resurgence in the indy stores. I need to make it to the local Tattered cover soon, though I plan to make it for GRRMs signing end of this month.
  - 18pfsmt 15y ago
    Good to see a mention of the Tattered Cover, as they actually have 3 locations. There was a Talk of the Nation segment[1] that covered independent bookstores, and how they are coping today just a few weeks ago (the Tattered Cover owner was guest). [1]http://www.npr.org/2011/06/30/137529480/how-to-make-it-as-an-independent-bookseller http://www.npr.org/2011/06/30/137529480/how-to-make-it-as-an...
    - runevault 15y ago
      Yeah one in Denver (I used to work next door to it) one in HR, and I can't recall where the third is. I'll have to listen to that later, thanks for the link.
- ineedtosleep 15y ago
  A lot of the ones I went to as a kid closed because of Borders and B&N. Now that one of the big companies are gone, would this mean more independent shops are on the way? I hope so.
- snewman 15y ago
  For me, growing up in Ann Arbor, Border's was the locally owned, independent bookstore. Then one day in the 90s, living in Palo Alto, I read that a local, independent movie theater (the Varsity) was closing down to make room for -- wait for it -- a Borders. That was the first I knew they had become a chain. A strange journey: from local indie, to indie killer, to dead.
  - ccamrobertson 15y ago
    I'm really concerned about the Varsity now that Borders is going for good. I don't know whether the building has any historical protection, however, I wouldn't be surprised if it disappears given the suddenness of the Cal Ave tree snafu a couple of years back.
    - donw 15y ago
      I remember that. For those that don't know, California Avenus is part of 'old' Palo Alto, and has a bunch of boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. It was lined with shade trees that had been there since the city had been founded, and was overall a very nice place to be. A few years back, the city decided to, uh, beautify the area by cutting down all the trees, and this happened almost overnight. The street now feels like a seedy part of LA, and is nowhere as nice a place to be, thanks to the local government. Off-topic, but there's a fantastic bagel shop near the corner of California and El Camino that I highly recommend.
      - qohen 15y ago
        I thought that sounded familiar... http://www.paulgraham.com/californiaavenueoaks.html http://www.paulgraham.com/californiaavenueoaks.html
      - gtani 15y ago
        On topic, i think the Stanford U on-campus bookstore is the only good technical bookstore in the SF to Mountain View corridor now
      - deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]
- stock_toaster 15y ago
  Powell's in portland is great. https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Powells_Books https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Powells_Books
- ConstantineXVI 15y ago
  Oddly enough, the two Borders that were left in our town were ex-local shops Borders bought out a while back (all their own shops closed first).
TomOfTTB 15y ago
I wouldn't worry. First I think Barnes and Noble is more likely to survive with Borders out of the way. But even if the local book market disappeared completely I think someone would pop up and fill the need for "a place to chill out" (as you put it). You already see that now with Coffee Shops, Internet Cafes and so on. We have a free market system and a free market system is based on there being an entrepreneur for every need.
nbashaw 15y ago
Borders closing != no more bookstores. They'll survive and morph into even more fun places to hang out and browse content. The reason why borders closed is because the atmosphere wasn't conducive to just hanging out. I always wanted to leave as soon as I walked into one. I don't get that feeling at cool local bookstores or even Barnes and Noble.
- ja27 15y ago
  A lot of Borders problems have nothing to do with the bookstore business itself. They've been horribly mismanaged for many years. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/01/what-went-wrong-at-borders/69310/ http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/01/what-wen... I personally preferred our local Borders stores over the Barnes and Nobles. They usually had more titles in stock and were a little nicer furnished. But they started to go downhill about 2 years ago, with more and more empty space, damaged carpets, trashed bathrooms, etc.
ars 15y ago
How about the library? Many of them even sell food. Lots of new books, magazines, and it's cheaper to boot. Some of them are really beautiful too.
- dhyasama 15y ago
  It says something about our culture that we don't even consider going to the library to get a book. I think we are so demanding and particular, that the thought of not getting what we want, when we want, is too much to bear and we would rather spend the cash.
  - nhangen 15y ago
    Or conversely, we want to support the author by buying their book. If anything, the library lends to the entitlement mentality, not the bookstore.
    - dhyasama 15y ago
      Interesting thought, but I don't agree. Maybe I'm selfish but never once have I thought about the author when I'm buying a book. Nor have I heard or read anything from anyone saying "You know what, I'm not going to get that book at the library. I'm going to pay for it so the author is fairly compensated."
      - nhangen 15y ago
        That was the same for me until social media came along and I was able to talk with authors I liked. Either way, I'm not sure going to a bookstore and buying a book says anything about culture other than people are used to buying things so they can keep them.
  - mkr-hn 15y ago
    I wonder if Georgia's PINES libraries would make a good model for other states: http://www.georgialibraries.org/public/pines.php http://www.georgialibraries.org/public/pines.php 40+ million books and other media loaned each year and 10 million things to loan. All with a single library card at almost any library. They're even talking about adding Kindle books to the collection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Information_Network_for_Electronic_Services http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Information_Network_for_... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_(software) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_(software)

lutorm 15y ago

There are always the locally owned, independent bookstores. If any are left...

illumen 15y ago
There's usually a really good indi book store right where the borders are(or used to be). Their tactic was to move in near the best, most popular store in each areas. I'm glad they're gone.
- ams6110 15y ago
  That's what they did here. The indy looked at what he was facing and didn't even bother. He sold his inventory and closed down before he lost his shirt. That was over a decade ago; now that Borders is gone, closed last fall. B&N is the only real bookstore left in the area. There are a couple of independents but they have very limited inventory and seem to make their living selling a lot of accessories, pens, and stationery.
runevault 15y ago
That last part of your statement is important. B&N and Borders drove a pretty large # of indy bookstores out of business (and Wal*mart killed a few more as I understand it, going out of their way to increase stock in certain areas until the Indies bought it, then going back to normal book habits). I hope this event helps cause a resurgence in the indy stores. I need to make it to the local Tattered cover soon, though I plan to make it for GRRMs signing end of this month.
- 18pfsmt 15y ago
  Good to see a mention of the Tattered Cover, as they actually have 3 locations. There was a Talk of the Nation segment[1] that covered independent bookstores, and how they are coping today just a few weeks ago (the Tattered Cover owner was guest). [1]http://www.npr.org/2011/06/30/137529480/how-to-make-it-as-an-independent-bookseller http://www.npr.org/2011/06/30/137529480/how-to-make-it-as-an...
  - runevault 15y ago
    Yeah one in Denver (I used to work next door to it) one in HR, and I can't recall where the third is. I'll have to listen to that later, thanks for the link.
ineedtosleep 15y ago
A lot of the ones I went to as a kid closed because of Borders and B&N. Now that one of the big companies are gone, would this mean more independent shops are on the way? I hope so.
snewman 15y ago
For me, growing up in Ann Arbor, Border's was the locally owned, independent bookstore. Then one day in the 90s, living in Palo Alto, I read that a local, independent movie theater (the Varsity) was closing down to make room for -- wait for it -- a Borders. That was the first I knew they had become a chain. A strange journey: from local indie, to indie killer, to dead.
- ccamrobertson 15y ago
  I'm really concerned about the Varsity now that Borders is going for good. I don't know whether the building has any historical protection, however, I wouldn't be surprised if it disappears given the suddenness of the Cal Ave tree snafu a couple of years back.
  - donw 15y ago
    I remember that. For those that don't know, California Avenus is part of 'old' Palo Alto, and has a bunch of boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. It was lined with shade trees that had been there since the city had been founded, and was overall a very nice place to be. A few years back, the city decided to, uh, beautify the area by cutting down all the trees, and this happened almost overnight. The street now feels like a seedy part of LA, and is nowhere as nice a place to be, thanks to the local government. Off-topic, but there's a fantastic bagel shop near the corner of California and El Camino that I highly recommend.
    - qohen 15y ago
      I thought that sounded familiar... http://www.paulgraham.com/californiaavenueoaks.html http://www.paulgraham.com/californiaavenueoaks.html
    - gtani 15y ago
      On topic, i think the Stanford U on-campus bookstore is the only good technical bookstore in the SF to Mountain View corridor now
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
stock_toaster 15y ago
Powell's in portland is great. https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Powells_Books https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Powells_Books
ConstantineXVI 15y ago
Oddly enough, the two Borders that were left in our town were ex-local shops Borders bought out a while back (all their own shops closed first).

TomOfTTB 15y ago

I wouldn't worry. First I think Barnes and Noble is more likely to survive with Borders out of the way. But even if the local book market disappeared completely I think someone would pop up and fill the need for "a place to chill out" (as you put it). You already see that now with Coffee Shops, Internet Cafes and so on. We have a free market system and a free market system is based on there being an entrepreneur for every need.

nbashaw 15y ago

Borders closing != no more bookstores. They'll survive and morph into even more fun places to hang out and browse content. The reason why borders closed is because the atmosphere wasn't conducive to just hanging out. I always wanted to leave as soon as I walked into one. I don't get that feeling at cool local bookstores or even Barnes and Noble.

ja27 15y ago
A lot of Borders problems have nothing to do with the bookstore business itself. They've been horribly mismanaged for many years. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/01/what-went-wrong-at-borders/69310/ http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/01/what-wen... I personally preferred our local Borders stores over the Barnes and Nobles. They usually had more titles in stock and were a little nicer furnished. But they started to go downhill about 2 years ago, with more and more empty space, damaged carpets, trashed bathrooms, etc.

ars 15y ago

How about the library? Many of them even sell food. Lots of new books, magazines, and it's cheaper to boot. Some of them are really beautiful too.

dhyasama 15y ago
It says something about our culture that we don't even consider going to the library to get a book. I think we are so demanding and particular, that the thought of not getting what we want, when we want, is too much to bear and we would rather spend the cash.
- nhangen 15y ago
  Or conversely, we want to support the author by buying their book. If anything, the library lends to the entitlement mentality, not the bookstore.
  - dhyasama 15y ago
    Interesting thought, but I don't agree. Maybe I'm selfish but never once have I thought about the author when I'm buying a book. Nor have I heard or read anything from anyone saying "You know what, I'm not going to get that book at the library. I'm going to pay for it so the author is fairly compensated."
    - nhangen 15y ago
      That was the same for me until social media came along and I was able to talk with authors I liked. Either way, I'm not sure going to a bookstore and buying a book says anything about culture other than people are used to buying things so they can keep them.
- mkr-hn 15y ago
  I wonder if Georgia's PINES libraries would make a good model for other states: http://www.georgialibraries.org/public/pines.php http://www.georgialibraries.org/public/pines.php 40+ million books and other media loaned each year and 10 million things to loan. All with a single library card at almost any library. They're even talking about adding Kindle books to the collection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Information_Network_for_Electronic_Services http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Information_Network_for_... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_(software) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_(software)