OK, it is not totally my fault.
It is your fault too probably.
And yes, Borders themselves has some culpability.
I know that many blame these Big Chain Bookstores for putting a lot of small, independent bookstore out of business over the last decade or so. And yes, no doubt it is true. But whoever is to blame, and no matter what you may have felt about the Big Chain Bookstores, is is a sad day for book lovers in the US.
I went to our local Borders Tuesday night after work.It was a sad experience.
I had a couple of gift cards I had to use up before they put the padlock on the door...or at least the liquidators move in, which it seems could be as early as today or tomorrow. The place was very busy, full of people..90% or more were buying with gift cards they needed to use up, just like me.
And see, there is part of the problem, of which I was guilty. I often went to Borders, but not so much to buy books. I went to use their rest rooms when I was out shopping in the area. I would go to buy a cup of tea in their cafe, sitting at a table, browsing through a pile of books, deciding if I wanted to buy any of them. Actually holding a book, looking at the cover, reading a few pages is a totally different experience than trying to browse online.
But here was the problem. If I decided that yes, I want to buy one, I did not usually walk to the register. No, I took out my smart phone, went online, usually to the Evil Amazon, and bought it for a significantly lower price.
Bottom line, they simply could not compete on price.
But Borders had other problems too. From what I have read they had some serious issues at the highest levels of management. Things like their decision, some years ago, to buy Waldenbooks, their slowness to get into online sales, to get seriously into the e-books business as Barnes and Noble did with the Nook.
And then there were the stores. As much as I like their store as a place to kill some time and check out the CDs and a great selection of magazines, their book selection often left something to be desired. If you wanted the latest bestseller, yes, there was a nice pile on the tables right inside the front door. But if you want a copy of something a little less popular, a classic perhaps, it was pretty hit and miss that they would have it. Yes, they could order it and have it in a week later, at full list price.
Or I could order it from Amazon, have it in a day or two, with free shipping, and pay 30% less maybe.
Hmmm...let me think...
Yes, maybe they deserved to fail.
In the cafe, there were several tables pulled together, full of what looked like students from the nearby community college, having a meeting. Where will they go now? They were sitting by the little stage where Borders had musical performances on occasion and some reading and book signings. Yes, Borders filled a role in the local community that I do not see anyone else filling in the future.
Then I overheard a young woman who seemed to have been dragged to the store by a friend..who was, no doubt, spending a gift card. This woman was someone who, it seemed, had never been in a bookstore, as amazing as that seems to someone like you and me. She started looking around at all the tables full of piles of books and said to her friend, "Wow, maybe I should start reading books!" Well, not from Borders sister.
And lastly, I was looking for a specific book, Book Lust To Go, that I had just read a review of that very day at a favorite bloggers post. Their computer at Border said they had a copy, but where it was..well, I always had an issue with the way the store was organized. Another issue..
So I went up to the help desk, which tonight had 4 workers standing there, waiting to be of help, as opposed to the normal ZERO...another issue.
An older female employee looked it up on the computer, verified they had it, and said, "Oh, I know just where that is." She walked me over to the shelf, handed me the book and said, "Yes, that is a good book!"
11,000 Border workers, many of them book lovers like you and I, will be out of work.
And I sure can't feel good about that.
Book lovers should be selling books.
Can brick and mortar bookstores stay in business?
I am not sure. Between e-books and online bookstore I think it is a real question.
Some will be smart and find a niche. Maybe by expanding what sorts of things they sell, maybe by becoming a venue for other community events, maybe by some other really clever new ideas.
But one major source of books, one that was for many of us the only bookstore in the area, is gone and that is a sad thing.
UPDATE!
last night I was entering the books I bought at Borders on Library Thing.
so I decided to check the prices vs. Amazon...
one..I paid $16 for...$10 on Amazon
another $26 at Borders...$16 on Amazon.
really..we are not talking a dollar here..
ok, maybe it was not as much my fault as I thought.
The only time I ever bought anything from Borders (which used to be just a couple miles away) was when I got a coupon. That sort of offset the difference in price from Amazon. Or at least made me feel better. But you are right, there were problems. Still it was "my" bookstore, since we have no indies left. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteI never shopped at a Borders bookstore, I guess because I don't remember seeing any in my area. I do however shop in B&N quite often. I love meandering through it or just sitting and reading until hubby is finished his shopping elsewhere. I have never shopped online either, sounds like I better look into that kind of shopping. Last week when I visited B&N I had the man explain the Nook to me. I'm still not convinced I want one. But, it sounds like in a few years I may need one.
ReplyDeleteAll we ever had here was a Borders Express in the mall and it was very small, so I rarely shopped there. I avoid evil Amazon and buy my books from my local indie. I can check their inventory on line before I go and if they don't have it, get them to order it for me. I've ordered books from them over Twitter before.
ReplyDeleteAs far as someplace else to fill the role of a community meeting place and cultural center - public libraries are definitely on the map. Most public libraries have large community meeting rooms, smaller group study rooms, etc. and many have theaters or other areas with stages where they can hold readings, signings, etc. Many now also have cafe's and are not as stingy about allowing food and beverages in. Any loss of a book establishment is sad, but on the community side of things, Borders is not irreplaceable. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.
ReplyDeleteSadly Borders made so many mistakes that didn't keep them adapting, but trying to stay above water. It didn't work. I don;t think the bookstore will go away. It will just change a bit. There will always be book lovers like me, who love a real book. The readers are just accessories like the Ipod to radio/cds.
ReplyDeleteI am so sad that Borders is closing. I spent many many days (and money) in there when I was in high school.
ReplyDeleteIn my home town Borders is the meeting place for chess games (daily), political and cultural gap. In my hometown it will leave a huge hole. Yes, there are libraries but libraries are quiet spaces. And the ones in my home town are not very good...I don't even know where they are!
I know the libraries of at least 5 towns of where I live now. But, still...Borders was Borders and it will be missed.
My local library is pretty darn small, with no open space that can be used. Are there other open, public places that will step up? Around here I am not sure.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention chess C. Merced...when I was sitting in the cafe Tuesday...for the last time...looking over the books I had picked, there were four men sitting at the table next to me, playing. obviously friends that did this a lot..where will they go?
It is really sad that hundreds of Borders store closed or are closing down. However don't think it is your fault that they are closing. Borders, as many big bookstore are designed for people to read and relax in their store. They make their store a cozy atmosphere with couches, chairs, and a cafe. The reason they are design this way as you probably know is so that people will feel comfortable browsing through the store, reading books and hopefully find a book or two that they will like to buy on their way out. The problem with this is now a day is that most people don't have extra money to buy books so they try to find the cheapest offer. Which is through online bookstores and eBooks. Most individuals walk into a Borders stores today and leave without buying a thing. It is tough times for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIt's my fault too. I just admitted on another blog to doing way more browsing than ever buying at Borders sadly. My store was not that convenient for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Caite! I am indeed sad as the only bookstore in my town is a Borders. We do have "that other chain" store a few miles away, but Borders was wonderfully convenient. However...I too am to blame for the closing. With a Half Price books across the street, I would usually go there first for a book and if they didn't have it, then I would take my coupon to Borders and buy it there. I rarely bought a book there without a coupon.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a very sad day....
Time and technology moves ever onward. Although there may be a place for small niche bookstores, the day of the large mass market bookstore has largely passed.Does anyone have a neighborhood blacksmith anymore?
ReplyDeleteHi Caite,
ReplyDeleteAll the Borders stores closed their doors last year, here in the UK and although at the time I was outraged, in the cold light of day, was I really?
I, like most of your other commenters, seldom actually spent any real hard cash in the store, it was always a good place to go and browse, if we had a few minutes to spare on a Saturday afternoon and maybe use the coffee shop or restrooms!!They certainly wouldn't have got rich, if everyone had our shopping habits.
I tend to buy most of my books from charity shops, which are on every street in your average English town, and where the books are very reasonably priced, although we do now have to look up books on Abe.com and set the price similar to that which you would pay on-line.
If I am looking for something specific or out of the ordinary, then I will either go online to the dreaded Abe or Amazon, or head to the high street that still boasts a 'Waterstones', although these are becoming fewer and farther between
Yvonne
Like Yvonne, I am in the UK and rarely shopped in Borders here as there was not one near where I lived.
ReplyDeleteAbout 3 years ago I was fortunate to spend 3 days in Glasgow on a work trip. I spotted a Borders and that it was open late and ventured down to while away the evening hours rather than spend it in a hotel room.
I spent a couple of hours there, had a coffee and browsed the shelves and like many of you selected, read the covers, pondered and replaced. It did not compete with Amazon.
Borders clearly was an "institution" in the US, probably just like Woolworths was here, when they fell, another casualty to the economic downturn. It is a sad situation and I am sorry that so many people will be jobless, or if they do secure work it will be perhaps in a non book environment.
I recall saying on someone's blog, that the previous company I worked for has a conference each June. The Summer after Woolworths closed its doors, the impacting screen of the conference was the names and headlines of the companies that had gone under - Woolworths, MFI and others. The gloating was, we are still here and doing a fine job..... Needless, to say they did such a fine job I left in January this year to a company that puts people before profit!
Like Yvonne, I am in the UK and rarely shopped in Borders here as there was not one near where I lived.
ReplyDeleteAbout 3 years ago I was fortunate to spend 3 days in Glasgow on a work trip. I spotted a Borders and that it was open late and ventured down to while away the evening hours rather than spend it in a hotel room.
I spent a couple of hours there, had a coffee and browsed the shelves and like many of you selected, read the covers, pondered and replaced. It did not compete with Amazon.
Borders clearly was an "institution" in the US, probably just like Woolworths was here, when they fell, another casualty to the economic downturn. It is a sad situation and I am sorry that so many people will be jobless, or if they do secure work it will be perhaps in a non book environment.
I recall saying on someone's blog, that the previous company I worked for has a conference each June. The Summer after Woolworths closed its doors, the impacting screen of the conference was the names and headlines of the companies that had gone under - Woolworths, MFI and others. The gloating was, we are still here and doing a fine job..... Needless, to say they did such a fine job I left in January this year to a company that puts people before profit!