Borders has a 50/50 chance of survival - Page 3

Connallmac · 02-05-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suelange

That's pretty much the situation by me. I do my author events at venues other than bookstores: taverns, independent movie houses, that sort of thing.

Could you perhaps increase the size of the image in your signature? I was curious when I saw it and so searched for it on Smashwords. I have just downloaded a sample and am curious to give it a whirl. Perhaps include a link in the image?

nekokami · 02-06-2010, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connallmac

Could you perhaps increase the size of the image in your signature? I was curious when I saw it and so searched for it on Smashwords. I have just downloaded a sample and am curious to give it a whirl. Perhaps include a link in the image?

Rather than increasing the size of the signature image, it would make sense to use this image as an avatar, and provide a link to your home page or a list of your works in your profile.

Connallmac · 02-07-2010, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

Rather than increasing the size of the signature image, it would make sense to use this image as an avatar, and provide a link to your home page or a list of your works in your profile.

That would probably work even better!

suelange · 02-12-2010, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guyanonymous

Could this be representative of the shift away from brick and mortar locations for material purchase that is occurring in many industries? It strikes me that the new businesses I've seen locally in physical locations are those based on services and/or specialized products that the "big guys" ignore?

I think it's all connected. Things are changing and people are trying to figure out where they fit in. I was a performer before I was a writer and I've never been good at selling anything so performing my work is easier than doing signings in a bookstore.

BTW, thanks everybody for the advice about the avatar. I'm going to see if I can figure that out now.

bill_mchale · 02-12-2010, 11:26 AM

Just a thought, I think part of the problem with Border's is that they have never focused on books the way that Barnes and Nobles has. When I was younger, I liked the fact that you could get books and CDs and DVDs at Borders; in contrast most B&N in my area generally only have a very small selection of CDs and DVDs if any). Now, however, I tend to resent the large amount of floor space that is occupied by things other than books. In the closest Border's to my house (in downtown Silver Spring MD), the general literature category is relatively speaking tiny. They don't even carry all of of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels; in contrast, a local B&N devotes much more space to general literature and not only carries the before mentioned O'Brian novels but also the complete series of several lesser known nautical novels.

In short, when I am looking for a real paper book, I am much more likely to head to B&N.

--
Bill

spear · 02-12-2010, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I still have my old Waldenbooks Other World club card that allows me 15% off science fiction/fantasy books without an annual membership fee.

I miss my Other World card, when my local Waldenbooks in was bought out by Borders, first they refused to accept the card, then they closed the store completely...now the only bookstore here is BAM which is OK but its just not the same.

Joykins · 02-12-2010, 04:29 PM

Borders was the first new-bookstore outside of the mall bookstores in this area and came in when I was in college (that dates me, eh?). It opened a whole new world of books and reading for me. Locally, they have often had local acoustic music acts come in for a sort of coffeehouse hour as well as the book clubs. B&N, while I love 'em too, never do that.

There used to be 2 Borders near my house and now there is only one. The Waldenbooks at the mall appears to be gone as well. If Borders closes the closest B&N is about 10 miles away. There is also a B&N near my office. Right now I hit both of them relatively frequently, but since I got my nook I haven't had to go into either store as often.

katysax · 02-14-2010, 01:07 PM

Sigh. From the first time that I ever went into a book store it was a magical place. The selection was different and more current than my local library. I can still vividly remember when I was 10 years old entering the bookmobile outside my school (the first book "store" I ever knew) and feeling overwhelmed by enchantment.

Throughout my life bookstores have been my sanctuary. More so than libraries because libraries have deteriorated horribly from when I was a child. Books are my drug, and any time that work has felt too hard or life too much of a struggle, a trip to a book store could restore my equanimity.

For better or worse, things change. I barely go into book stores any more. Long ago I abandoned Daltons and Waldenbooks because the selection was limited almost entirely to books in which I had no interest. When I lived in the urban core of Washington DC there were a number of very good book stores nearby (most of them have since closed). When I moved to Los Angeles twenty years ago, the major loss that I felt was the lack of a great bookstore. When Borders opened I loved it.

At first I thought that Amazon would never be much. Then I discovered that I loved it. I could still read the first few pages of a book, I could read what others though. Most of all it had real selection. Anything I was interested in I could find. Even better than a university library.

My home was overfilled with books, and I kept getting rid of them too. I started to experiment with ebooks. I could have hundreds of books and they didn't take up shelf space. I could carry dozens of books with me and they had no weight. I could read all the classics that I wanted for free. Alas, the selection of ebooks is still lacking. But it gets better every day.

Meanwhile Borders has devolved into a store with lots of games and nick knacks and calendars. It's selection has become more like Waldenbooks. It's atmosphere more like a coffee shop than a bookstore.

I rarely go to bookstores any more. Ironically, since I've been working downtown where the best library is, I've rediscovered the public library if I want to browse among books and sit in a chair and read a variety of things. But sadly, bookstores which have been a magical place for most of my life have lost their magic. At this point I don't care if they all close - I mourned them years ago when I saw them deteriorate.

fugazied · 02-14-2010, 04:29 PM

It's sad to see them go but it's inevitable really. I 10 years time we'll probably have 20% of the book stores we have now.

I'm a little worried about the situation with the newspapers as well (speaking of markets in decline). However, the quality of newspapers has fallen so quickly under their corporate masters that they are partially to blame for their decline - you see more celeb nip-slips than investigative reporting in 99% of newspapers. I can see britney spears online if I want to.

Teyrnon · 02-14-2010, 04:53 PM

Hmm...I can remember a time when the bookstores section of the phonebook. for the metro area I've lived in or around all my life, was about 30 pages long. That section has shrunk to under two pages. In the 80s and early 90s we had hundreds of independent and specialty bookstores including a local chain of rather large and popular bookstores. That chain died by the end of the 90s and the specialties shops have pretty much vanished as well. It was popular to blame the disappearance of that wealth of bookstores on the arrival of the national chain bookstores Borders and Barnes & Nobles in the area.

suelange · 02-19-2010, 07:50 AM

Things do change and I think there will be places that fill the void. It's hard to imagine a place that will be like the magical bookstores of katysax's youth, but there will be something.

After we started this thread here, I spoke to a friend of mine that works at the local Borders. I asked her what was up with all the rumors. Was Borders going to be going down the tubes. She said that while Borders had been getting a lot of bad press lately, she thought the chain was going to be okay. They recently got a new CEO and she thought things would be turning around. We're watching the skies.

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02-12-2010, 11:26 AM	#35
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Just a thought, I think part of the problem with Border's is that they have never focused on books the way that Barnes and Nobles has. When I was younger, I liked the fact that you could get books and CDs and DVDs at Borders; in contrast most B&N in my area generally only have a very small selection of CDs and DVDs if any). Now, however, I tend to resent the large amount of floor space that is occupied by things other than books. In the closest Border's to my house (in downtown Silver Spring MD), the general literature category is relatively speaking tiny. They don't even carry all of of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels; in contrast, a local B&N devotes much more space to general literature and not only carries the before mentioned O'Brian novels but also the complete series of several lesser known nautical novels. In short, when I am looking for a real paper book, I am much more likely to head to B&N. -- Bill

02-12-2010, 04:29 PM	#37
Joykins Wizard Posts: 1,610 Karma: 9211856 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini	Borders was the first new-bookstore outside of the mall bookstores in this area and came in when I was in college (that dates me, eh?). It opened a whole new world of books and reading for me. Locally, they have often had local acoustic music acts come in for a sort of coffeehouse hour as well as the book clubs. B&N, while I love 'em too, never do that. There used to be 2 Borders near my house and now there is only one. The Waldenbooks at the mall appears to be gone as well. If Borders closes the closest B&N is about 10 miles away. There is also a B&N near my office. Right now I hit both of them relatively frequently, but since I got my nook I haven't had to go into either store as often.

02-14-2010, 01:07 PM	#38
katysax Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 222 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Los Angeles Device: Kindle2, Kindle DX, prs 505	Sigh. From the first time that I ever went into a book store it was a magical place. The selection was different and more current than my local library. I can still vividly remember when I was 10 years old entering the bookmobile outside my school (the first book "store" I ever knew) and feeling overwhelmed by enchantment. Throughout my life bookstores have been my sanctuary. More so than libraries because libraries have deteriorated horribly from when I was a child. Books are my drug, and any time that work has felt too hard or life too much of a struggle, a trip to a book store could restore my equanimity. For better or worse, things change. I barely go into book stores any more. Long ago I abandoned Daltons and Waldenbooks because the selection was limited almost entirely to books in which I had no interest. When I lived in the urban core of Washington DC there were a number of very good book stores nearby (most of them have since closed). When I moved to Los Angeles twenty years ago, the major loss that I felt was the lack of a great bookstore. When Borders opened I loved it. At first I thought that Amazon would never be much. Then I discovered that I loved it. I could still read the first few pages of a book, I could read what others though. Most of all it had real selection. Anything I was interested in I could find. Even better than a university library. My home was overfilled with books, and I kept getting rid of them too. I started to experiment with ebooks. I could have hundreds of books and they didn't take up shelf space. I could carry dozens of books with me and they had no weight. I could read all the classics that I wanted for free. Alas, the selection of ebooks is still lacking. But it gets better every day. Meanwhile Borders has devolved into a store with lots of games and nick knacks and calendars. It's selection has become more like Waldenbooks. It's atmosphere more like a coffee shop than a bookstore. I rarely go to bookstores any more. Ironically, since I've been working downtown where the best library is, I've rediscovered the public library if I want to browse among books and sit in a chair and read a variety of things. But sadly, bookstores which have been a magical place for most of my life have lost their magic. At this point I don't care if they all close - I mourned them years ago when I saw them deteriorate.

02-14-2010, 04:29 PM	#39
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	It's sad to see them go but it's inevitable really. I 10 years time we'll probably have 20% of the book stores we have now. I'm a little worried about the situation with the newspapers as well (speaking of markets in decline). However, the quality of newspapers has fallen so quickly under their corporate masters that they are partially to blame for their decline - you see more celeb nip-slips than investigative reporting in 99% of newspapers. I can see britney spears online if I want to.

02-14-2010, 04:53 PM	#40
Teyrnon Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 384 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Eastern United States Device: jetBook, Kindle DX, Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Nook Simple Touch	Hmm...I can remember a time when the bookstores section of the phonebook. for the metro area I've lived in or around all my life, was about 30 pages long. That section has shrunk to under two pages. In the 80s and early 90s we had hundreds of independent and specialty bookstores including a local chain of rather large and popular bookstores. That chain died by the end of the 90s and the specialties shops have pretty much vanished as well. It was popular to blame the disappearance of that wealth of bookstores on the arrival of the national chain bookstores Borders and Barnes & Nobles in the area.

02-19-2010, 07:50 AM	#41
suelange Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 50000 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle	Things do change and I think there will be places that fill the void. It's hard to imagine a place that will be like the magical bookstores of katysax's youth, but there will be something. After we started this thread here, I spoke to a friend of mine that works at the local Borders. I asked her what was up with all the rumors. Was Borders going to be going down the tubes. She said that while Borders had been getting a lot of bad press lately, she thought the chain was going to be okay. They recently got a new CEO and she thought things would be turning around. We're watching the skies.

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