My Borders is Closing.

[blackbeltninja]

"Kindles" and similar machines are going to take over. Technically, they make more sense anyway and conserve paper. But sometimes the sentimental value of a book is worth killing those trees.

Agreed. I do a shitload of reading in the bathtub after karate and curled up in bed before sleeping, and I don't think a Kindle or an iPad is going to be quite the same. Not to mention the cost of wetting one unintentionally...

Hell, I'm really old-school. I download tons of research papers to my work computer, then print them out so I can a.) read them in peace when I have time and am in a nicer place than at my desk; and b.) scribble notes all over them, something which you can't really do to a .pdf, I don't think.

I understand the usefulness of the e-reader and the convenience of the .pdf (pre printing it; means I don't have to walk down the hill to the University's library to find the damn thing) but I haven't got used to the idea of not having the paper/novel in my hands.

-d-

 

[Keelandson]

It's just no fun laying out in the park on a nice day, reading an e-book.

Trying to nap with a Kindle over your eyes instead of an open book would be an epic fail. A heavy iPod would cause brain indentations.

I wonder if the ancient Romans would have bitched about books replacing scrolls, though the advent of the internet brought scrolling back into vogue.

 

[LilBit]

Chapel Hill is losing its Borders as well. We lost our WaldenBooks a few years ago, and a few years before that, we lost our next-to-last independent bookstore. Now all we have left is the independent bookstore inside the university bookstore, two used textbook stores, and two used book stores. It truly baffles me that a college town can function with so few bookstores.

 

[Ellybelly909]

In Madison, Wisconsin, it looks like we are losing one of our two Borders. I agree Joshua, it's very sad as I love going to any bookstore, especially Borders. I love magazines and Border's always comes through with great gay magazines and many others. In Madison Borders always had a great gay book selection, better than Barnes and Noble. My other favorite bookstore is the Now Voyager on Commercial St. in Provincetown, Mass.

Shopping for books online ain't the same....but A Different Light Bookstore online is pretty darn good.

Is there anything better than hanging out at a bookstore on a rainy summer day? (Okay, maybe one or two things are better...)

 

[AbnormalDann]

Our Border's are closing too. The only good thing to come of this is mine is having liquidation sales. The stores I grew up on were closed down because of Border's and Barnes and Noble, and now Border's is shutting down in my area. 'Tis a sad day for all.

 

[Callum]

I really hope books don't go obsolete...staring at screens to read really bothers my eyes. I can't do a Kindle or any of those fancy eBooks. And what will you do when an apocalypse finally comes? You can't use electronics then! Keep the books!

 

[Mike68]

Trying to nap with a Kindle over your eyes instead of an open book would be an epic fail. A heavy iPod would cause brain indentations..

Haha yes!

I also like having the anticipation of turning a page as well with a good book.

They are going the way of arcades...

 

[Keelandson]

I actually have to go the stupid library now everytime I want to read a book. Talk about lame!

That, soon, might not be an option in England where 350 public libraries are threatened with closure, thanks to the keep-the-populace-stupid-and-we'll-always-win Conservatives. (Who else but the playing-field-of-Eton elite would trumpet ignorance as a virtue to the peasantry?)

 

[unloadonme]

That, soon, might not be an option in England where 350 public libraries are threatened with closure, thanks to the keep-the-populace-stupid-and-we'll-always-win Conservatives. (Who else but the playing-field-of-Eton elite would trumpet ignorance as a virtue to the peasantry?)

The stupid people don't go anywhere near the libraries which will close and will never miss them. People like that think it's a badge of honour to never have read a book.

 

[altlover85]

I love Borders, but I never bought that many books when I was there. It was more for browsing, which I can't see made them that much money.

I'm much more apt to buy at a used bookstore.

 

[LilBit]

I love Borders, but I never bought that many books when I was there. It was more for browsing, which I can't see made them that much money.

I'm much more apt to buy at a used bookstore.

There's something enticing about the smell and feel of a used book, no? I love visiting used book stores. It's also good for an OCD person like me--if I buy a book new, then I'm very anal about keeping it in like-new condition. But if I buy a used book in good condition, I don't mind if it gets a little worn, because it already IS a bit worn.

 

[ronboy]

Well.....I don't want to be the object of hate, but our two Borders stores in the Rochester area are remaining open, for the time being. The Borders store in in Henrietta is always busy! They have noticibly scaled back the amount of merchandise in there, but it is still a hopping place.

If they go, all we will be left with are four Barnes & Nobles (Greece, Henrietta, Pittsford and Victor), and a handful of small independent book dealers. Waldenbooks is gone, B. Dalton is gone. Scrantom's a local book and stationery chain, is gone. Media Play is gone. Our big independent store, The Village Green Bookstore went under in the 1990's.

My favorite independent is a small store in the village of Spencerport, NY called The Book Centre. He's pretty much a one man operation, and buys and sells used books. He has the small store pretty much stacked from floor to ceiling with books. And his prices are VERY reasonable! Down the road, in Brockport, is Lift Bridge Books, which fills three floors of a former department store on Main Street. It is all new books in there. It is a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours too!

When I am in Toronto, I love World's Biggest Bookstore, and the huge Indigo in Eaton Centre.

I discovered a wonderful independent dealer in Columbus Ohio called The Book Loft, when I was visiting there a couple of years ago. It's located in the German Village, and it sprawls over several floors! I spent several hours there enjoying and buying!

 

[Knucklehead]

Sadly in Portland, the world famous Powell's Books * is about to go into a third wave of layoffs.

Bookstores, like newspapers, are dinosaurs...

* http://www.powells.com/

Say it ain't so! I LOVE Powell's..I still get books from them even though I live in Pa, now..

Them and The Strand in NYC are my all time favorite book stores..I hope Powell's can stay open and also hope The Strand never finds itself in a similar spot..

Borders,I liked a lot,and wish they had one near me.I'm not a big fan of Barnes and Noble..Although I did fall in love with them as a kid when I used to frequent their flagship store on 23rd Street in NYC..

Even that one closed too..I guess the landlords got greedy and upped the rent..Last time I walked by it,I think it was still vacant.

 

[KTheLibra]

We're losing the Waldenbooks in our local mall, so I feel your pain. It's sad.

 

[TickTockMan]

if I buy a book new, then I'm very anal about keeping it in like-new condition. But if I buy a used book in good condition, I don't mind if it gets a little worn, because it already IS a bit worn.

I love bookstores, but I hardly ever buy from actual stores anymore. Places like Powell's, Borders and my old favorite Jackson’s (now closed) almost always had ripped, torn, or dented books and they refused to order a decent copy until the damaged copy(s) sold. I don’t have that problem if I buy online. If it does come less than what I want I just send it back and they send me another copy.


Bookstores are a great place to hang out though.

 

[Willie Boy]

It's so fucking depressing.

First, my beloved Sarasota Main Street Bookstore goes under, (I know this means nothing to most, but it was a THREE story (ha !) wonder of a store, and old fashioned place where everyone knew your name. (Sort of like "Cheers" without the alcohol) It had been there since the 1940's.

And now, the mega-beast that was it's undoing goes under as well.

I love bookstores. It's hard to explain, they're just cozy and safe -feeling.

I knew most of the people that worked at this Borders. Many of the men were gay, (shocking) and I have been out with many of them socially.

Now, they will be out of a job. Now only Barnes and Noble remains and how long will it be before Amazon and all the rest put them under as well.

Sad how things change. Children being born today will probably never know what a bookstore was....

I blame Kindle.

 

[Keelandson]

When I am in Toronto, I love World's Biggest Bookstore, and the huge Indigo in Eaton Centre.

Both owned by the Chapters steamroller.

 

[Ninja108]

The writing was on the wall for the one in our area. Not only was it harder to get to because of traffic, but then the mall changed the location of it.
You could no longer simply enter it from the street, you had to go through the lobby and up two elevators to get to it.

 

[Rubber Rat]

I still miss Tower Books that closed a number of years ago. What a great place.

 

[miaedu]

Borders Bookstore Will Eliminate 11,000 Jobs, Close 400 Remaining Stores

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/...024.html?1311024980&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008