HMV to sell Waterstones to Russian billionaire - Page 2

fjtorres · 05-20-2011, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I wondered about the strip mall - and confess to thinking it was lit by red lights ....

not quite the shopping arcade, then ....

One good link deserves another:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_mall

Nowadays most of the red lighting in strip malls comes from the REDBOX kiosks.

SensualPoet · 05-20-2011, 03:28 PM

I have very fond memories shopping at a fabulous Waterstones on the high street in Glasgow in the mid-1990s -- Sauchiehall Street. (Americans, don't even try to pronounce that one ... LOL.) Fabulous shopping area but, sheesh, a tad pricey!

Richey79 · 05-21-2011, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

These days, a high street is a row of empty shops with a Tesco Express at one end.

Precisely this.

I hope this goes well for Waterstones. Where I live, it's Waterstones, W H Smith, or one of two moribund second hand book shops. You'd be better off going to the Tesco Express than W H Smith - whenever you buy anything there, they shower you with vouchers to buy cheap burgers at MacDonalds for some reason, and they seem to have an active policy of employing nobody on a full-time contract.

The Waterstones doesn't even have a cafe or anywhere pleasant to sit, so its one advantage over the internet is that it sells a range of locally-published books that aren't available anywhere else. I've lived in a few towns which have had a second thriving bookstore, only to have Waterstones buy them out and then have two cookie-cutter stores in the same town. Mind you, this was mostly happening a decade ago, before the march of technology.

It would be nice to keep a book-shop open to accompany the charity shops and 'Poundland'. Can't remember when I last bought anything at Waterstones, though.

carpetmojo · 05-21-2011, 10:20 AM

The Borders at Bristol was fantastic - armchairs, coffee/tea, lots of seating by the shelves
- while it lasted.

HarryT · 05-21-2011, 10:22 AM

There's a very good Waterstones in Manchester. I go there a lot. Still nice to be able to browse in a real bookshop.

pdurrant · 05-21-2011, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Still nice to be able to browse in a real bookshop.

And then order the ebook on your iPad/Kindle.....

HarryT · 05-21-2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And then order the ebook on your iPad/Kindle.....

I know you were joking, but I'd never do that. It seems unethical to me. If you enjoy bookshops, support them by buying there.

pdurrant · 05-21-2011, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I know you were joking, but I'd never do that. It seems unethical to me. If you enjoy bookshops, support them by buying there.

I must admit I don't go into bookshops any more. I don't see any general bookshop having a secure future.

astra · 05-21-2011, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I must admit I don't go into bookshops any more.

Neither do I.

I stopped going into bookshops once I discovered Amazon. It was so much better! I could immediately read reviews on Amazon, check forums for reviews or ask questions and then place an order not having to leave my house, not having to walk somewhere, not having to spend anymore my time on the purchase. Moreover, the books were always cheaper. Usually by a lot. A typical hardback in Waterstone's was either RRP - £18-20, or when it was brand new £3-4 less for a few weeks only, then back to RRP. Amazon's price was usually £11-12, rarely £14 if the RRP was £20.

LazyScot · 05-22-2011, 07:57 AM

We're lucky enough to have an independent bookshop in the town I live which I frequent maybe about once a month. Part of the reason is that in browsing it I'll find books I wouldn't find through the usual ebook websites and recommendations.

A good physical bookshop supports serendipity (no, not the movie) in books. And that means more than a pile of the latest big book the publishers are pushing. The question for Waterstones is whether it will keep the habit of good recommendations and placing books you'd otherwise miss. The place, in future, for the physical bookshop will a mixture of factors built upon knowlegeable staff with a passion for books of every type.

I wouldn't bet on it doing this, but if they keep good shop floor staff and management, then I won't bet against it either...

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
I Wanna Be a Billionaire.......	jhempel24	Lounge	5	02-09-2011 12:13 AM
HMV to close 60 stores as sales and shares slump	boxcorner	News	12	01-06-2011 09:55 AM
Billionaire Deaths	obs20	Lounge	7	10-21-2010 09:09 AM
HMV buy 50% of 7digital	Gravitas	Sony Reader	0	09-03-2009 04:47 AM
Billionaire Warren Buffett may join Kindle crowd	Alexander Turcic	News	8	07-11-2008 02:10 AM

05-20-2011, 03:28 PM	#17
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	I have very fond memories shopping at a fabulous Waterstones on the high street in Glasgow in the mid-1990s -- Sauchiehall Street. (Americans, don't even try to pronounce that one ... LOL.) Fabulous shopping area but, sheesh, a tad pricey!

05-21-2011, 10:20 AM	#19
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	The Borders at Bristol was fantastic - armchairs, coffee/tea, lots of seating by the shelves - while it lasted.

05-21-2011, 10:22 AM	#20
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	There's a very good Waterstones in Manchester. I go there a lot. Still nice to be able to browse in a real bookshop.

05-22-2011, 07:57 AM	#25
LazyScot DSil Posts: 3,201 Karma: 6895096 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Hants, UK Device: Kindle, Cybook	We're lucky enough to have an independent bookshop in the town I live which I frequent maybe about once a month. Part of the reason is that in browsing it I'll find books I wouldn't find through the usual ebook websites and recommendations. A good physical bookshop supports serendipity (no, not the movie) in books. And that means more than a pile of the latest big book the publishers are pushing. The question for Waterstones is whether it will keep the habit of good recommendations and placing books you'd otherwise miss. The place, in future, for the physical bookshop will a mixture of factors built upon knowlegeable staff with a passion for books of every type. I wouldn't bet on it doing this, but if they keep good shop floor staff and management, then I won't bet against it either...

Advert

Advert