I watched a documentary about the history of Barnes and Noble. Here's a link if anyone is interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iuct6UkKs7o
They mentioned that B&N put a lot of small bookstores out of business long before Amazon came along and that since Amazon, small bookstores are growing in number and thriving.
I think it's also fairly plain that it's Barnes and Noble's poor service and shoddy practices that are hurting them, far more than anything Amazon has done.
I can't recall if it was in that documentary or another one I watched about the same time but it was mentioned that malls began closing in large numbers all around the country long before Amazon came along. I doubt that any single factor is to blame for that but my guess is that the major cause would be Walmart.
However it is sad to see one business fade and another take it's place and government should do something about that. They could begin by subsidising horse and buggy makers and penalizing auto makers. Or maybe the first step should be to get rid if the oil and gas and coal companies and promote firewood. Or replace the medical industry with leech growers.
Things change. It always happens. It always has happened. And when things change someone wins and someone loses. And let's all be glad that's true. If it wasn't we'd still be living in caves.
Barry