How Barnes & Noble Came Back From Near Dead

frahse · 01-29-2023, 03:46 PM

This is GREAT!
(from the NY Times this morning.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/o...bookstore.html

"
By Ezra Klein
Opinion Columnist

I remember when Barnes & Noble first opened in my hometown. Before that, we had a cramped Crown Books, and some lovely, but limited, libraries. Barnes & Noble was a revelation. There was something wondrous about a room with that many books, each of them a doorway to unknown worlds, ideas and lives. That’s still the feeling, for me, of walking into a great bookstore: limitlessness."

Marvelous!!!

drofgnal · 01-30-2023, 04:47 AM

That's good news for sure! I've always liked browsing through B&N with a cup of coffee exploring books.

frahse · 01-30-2023, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drofgnal

That's good news for sure! I've always liked browsing through B&N with a cup of coffee exploring books.

Amen.
BAM as well. And in olden days before they were eaten by B&N and BAM, all the smaller Mall bookstores.

Now days a nice Grocery or big Pharmacy might have a small section of books beside the magazines.

Even Dollar Tree has a few discounted books. And on occasion a Dollar General or a Family Dollar might have a rack.

Skydog · 01-30-2023, 11:30 AM

Paywall.

Cactus Chef · 01-30-2023, 12:14 PM

It came back from near dead by becoming a freaking toy store that sells books on the side. I am not sure that's a great thing.

Quoth · 01-30-2023, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frahse

This is GREAT!
(from the NY Times this morning.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/o...bookstore.html

"
By Ezra Klein
Opinion Columnist

I remember when Barnes & Noble first opened in my hometown. Before that, we had a cramped Crown Books, and some lovely, but limited, libraries. Barnes & Noble was a revelation. There was something wondrous about a room with that many books, each of them a doorway to unknown worlds, ideas and lives. That’s still the feeling, for me, of walking into a great bookstore: limitlessness."

Marvelous!!!

Why does that quote remind me of “You’ve got Mail”?
Did any of the Crown Books staff end up helping people to find books in B&N?. Or is B&N like Eason’s here in Limerick now, less than 1/2 is actual books. I remember even 20 years ago Easons was mostly books. I think 50 years ago in Belfast they were entirely books.

tomsem · 01-30-2023, 12:41 PM

Gift link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/o...smid=share-url

Sirtel · 01-30-2023, 01:05 PM

Another ode to the superiority of paper books. Bah.

No, I don't get a huge enjoyment out of paper books. I get exactly zero enjoyment out of paper books. I can't stand the smell, I hate the feeling. They're clumsy, heavy and uncomfortable. And you can't search them. Just no.

Patchicat · 01-30-2023, 02:32 PM

And right now, I cannot get onto the Barnes & Noble website. It keeps coming back "Access Denied". But if I turn the wifi off on my phone, I can get onto the sight. Still trying to figure this out as it worked Saturday but hasn't since yesterday (Sunday).

Quoth · 01-30-2023, 02:53 PM

Website working here in Ireland, though I've not tried buying anything. That's on a niche browser with uMatrix to block unwanted scripts.

ZodWallop · 01-30-2023, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cactus Chef

It came back from near dead by becoming a freaking toy store that sells books on the side. I am not sure that's a great thing.

I'm going to call BS on this. When was the last time you went to your local B&N?

The giant B&N in my area has pulled their music and movie section and filled it with books. The upstairs seating area was removed to be filled with books.

Paperbackstash · 01-30-2023, 05:42 PM

I am and always will be a biblophile, so I love bookstores still - but our local B&N closed long ago unfortunately. We have a Books-A-Million and a large used bookstore, but I do miss the B&N

Calenorn · 01-31-2023, 06:09 AM

I'm skeptical. The B&N in my town is pretty sad. Half of the CD/DVD/Music section has been taken over by toys, but no one bothered to remove the big signs proclaiming "VINYL!" (Are plastic toys vinyl? That's not what that means.)

There's a small NOOK display, but the display models all have dead batteries.

The book shelves have been re-arranged into dead end alcoves and cul-de-sacs. Walking across the store was not straightforward. Like, I thought I would have to roll for wandering monsters. The fire marshal is going to have something to say about that floor plan.

And the rest rooms. Just... no.

Asawi · 01-31-2023, 07:58 AM

I live in small town in Sweden where we don't have any bookstore at all, but fortunately a very good library. "Fortunately" because even though I hate reading paper books I love being around them!
When visiting USA now and then (2008-2016) I have been in a handful or so different BN stores and they have all been so nice. I've especially liked the mix of books an relaxation areas. Maybe that's not unique for BN, but it was new to me and if they can come back to that (if it has been gone?), good! (Of course I also loved the Nook displays back in the days, being a huge Nook fan back then!)

Deskisamess · 01-31-2023, 08:26 AM

The closet B&N to me is a 25 mile drive. There used to be one at the local strip mall, but it's a Books-a-Million now, which I've gone to exactly once.

When B&N was there, it was dirty, expensive, and carried more games and toys than books. Their prices were always 30-70% higher than other sources. Staffing was always a problem, so there was always a line.

01-29-2023, 03:46 PM	#1
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,315 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	How Barnes & Noble Came Back From Near Dead This is GREAT! (from the NY Times this morning.) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/o...bookstore.html " By Ezra Klein Opinion Columnist I remember when Barnes & Noble first opened in my hometown. Before that, we had a cramped Crown Books, and some lovely, but limited, libraries. Barnes & Noble was a revelation. There was something wondrous about a room with that many books, each of them a doorway to unknown worlds, ideas and lives. That’s still the feeling, for me, of walking into a great bookstore: limitlessness." Marvelous!!! Last edited by frahse; 01-30-2023 at 01:48 AM.

01-31-2023, 07:58 AM	#14
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,467 Karma: 3865860 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	I live in small town in Sweden where we don't have any bookstore at all, but fortunately a very good library. "Fortunately" because even though I hate reading paper books I love being around them! When visiting USA now and then (2008-2016) I have been in a handful or so different BN stores and they have all been so nice. I've especially liked the mix of books an relaxation areas. Maybe that's not unique for BN, but it was new to me and if they can come back to that (if it has been gone?), good! (Of course I also loved the Nook displays back in the days, being a huge Nook fan back then!) Last edited by Asawi; 01-31-2023 at 08:02 AM.

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01-30-2023, 04:47 AM	#2
drofgnal Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 10000000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Ipad Pro/Kindle Oasis 3/iPhone 13 Pro Max	That's good news for sure! I've always liked browsing through B&N with a cup of coffee exploring books.

01-30-2023, 11:30 AM	#4
Skydog Wizard Posts: 2,286 Karma: 7409537 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Circling Earth @ Mach .83 Device: Elipsa 2E, Sage, Libra Colour, Libra 2, Clara 2E, Oasis3, Voyage	Paywall.

01-30-2023, 12:14 PM	#5
Cactus Chef Evangelist Posts: 494 Karma: 6655750 Join Date: Apr 2019 Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD, Galaxy Tab S5e, Kindle 4th Gen	It came back from near dead by becoming a freaking toy store that sells books on the side. I am not sure that's a great thing.

01-30-2023, 12:41 PM	#7
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,900 Karma: 27013865 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/o...smid=share-url

01-30-2023, 01:05 PM	#8
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,161 Karma: 237634549 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Another ode to the superiority of paper books. Bah. No, I don't get a huge enjoyment out of paper books. I get exactly zero enjoyment out of paper books. I can't stand the smell, I hate the feeling. They're clumsy, heavy and uncomfortable. And you can't search them. Just no.

01-30-2023, 02:32 PM	#9
Patchicat Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 430000 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Texas Device: Nook Tablet; Nook HD+; Nook Samsung Tab 3	And right now, I cannot get onto the Barnes & Noble website. It keeps coming back "Access Denied". But if I turn the wifi off on my phone, I can get onto the sight. Still trying to figure this out as it worked Saturday but hasn't since yesterday (Sunday).

01-30-2023, 02:53 PM	#10
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,687 Karma: 103837201 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Website working here in Ireland, though I've not tried buying anything. That's on a niche browser with uMatrix to block unwanted scripts.

01-30-2023, 05:42 PM	#12
Paperbackstash Wizard Posts: 1,653 Karma: 20102554 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Central Florida Device: Oasis 3, PW 3 & 5, Fire HD 8 & 10	I am and always will be a biblophile, so I love bookstores still - but our local B&N closed long ago unfortunately. We have a Books-A-Million and a large used bookstore, but I do miss the B&N

01-31-2023, 06:09 AM	#13
Calenorn Brash Fumbler Posts: 1,202 Karma: 9224939 Join Date: May 2013 Device: NST, Kobo Mini	I'm skeptical. The B&N in my town is pretty sad. Half of the CD/DVD/Music section has been taken over by toys, but no one bothered to remove the big signs proclaiming "VINYL!" (Are plastic toys vinyl? That's not what that means.) There's a small NOOK display, but the display models all have dead batteries. The book shelves have been re-arranged into dead end alcoves and cul-de-sacs. Walking across the store was not straightforward. Like, I thought I would have to roll for wandering monsters. The fire marshal is going to have something to say about that floor plan. And the rest rooms. Just... no.

01-31-2023, 08:26 AM	#15
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,742 Karma: 45300001 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	The closet B&N to me is a 25 mile drive. There used to be one at the local strip mall, but it's a Books-a-Million now, which I've gone to exactly once. When B&N was there, it was dirty, expensive, and carried more games and toys than books. Their prices were always 30-70% higher than other sources. Staffing was always a problem, so there was always a line.

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