Big city left with no bookstore

[LS650]

I found this article on CNN.com and found it very interesting:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/22...ex.html?hpt=C2

"That leaves Laredo, Texas, population of 250,000, one of the largest cities in the United States without a bookstore.

The closest bookstore is now 150 miles away, in San Antonio, Texas."

I get that there are issues with literacy rates in this area, but I still find it shocking. I live in a city of roughly the same population, and there are dozens of new and used bookstores, plus several excellent libraries. TO me it's incomprehensible that there isn't enough buying of books to support even one store!

[Javed]

At the linked article it mentions:

Barnes & Noble says it closed the Laredo store as part of an overall strategy to shut down the chain of mall-based bookstores. Even though the Laredo store was profitable, the overall chain was losing money, according to company officials.

This seems counter-intuitive!

[GA Russell]

In 1973 I moved to Winston-Salem, NC. There was only one bookstore listed in the yellow pages. Imagine my disappointment when I went there only to discover that it was a stationery shop.

However, Wake Forest University did have a bookstore for its students.

[Ken Maltby]

Laredo is a border town. Any bookstore there would have to supply Spanish books.
There is probably a brisk business in pirated English books in Nuevo Laredo.

250,000? That can't be US Citizens, even counting all the border agents.

Google it, and you will see that the story comes from MSNBC, CNBC and spread by CNN.

Luck;
Ken

[Wetdogeared]

I knew that name sounded familiar somewhere.

[AprilHare]

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I knew that name sounded familiar somewhere.

Strange - a town that helps rejuvinate liseuses has such a amivalence towards purchasing the written word! - Although that supermarket in the CNN report appeared to have a very large book section

Originally Posted by LS650

I found this article on CNN.com and found it very interesting:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/22...ex.html?hpt=C2

"That leaves Laredo, Texas, population of 250,000, one of the largest cities in the United States without a bookstore.

The closest bookstore is now 150 miles away, in San Antonio, Texas."

I get that there are issues with literacy rates in this area, but I still find it shocking. I live in a city of roughly the same population, and there are dozens of new and used bookstores, plus several excellent libraries. TO me it's incomprehensible that there isn't enough buying of books to support even one store!

I remember growing up in country and regional Australia and often the bookstore and the written word was the only thing there for me in the stores.
Some of the smaller towns didn't have a bookstore however they always had libraries - and I always was willing to travel to get a good book. I remember getting my first hit of Tolkien (The Hobbit in audiobook) while in Tamworth, New South Wales - population 42,501.
If Americans have trouble providing books (and/or the ability to read) to a quarter of a million people there's definitely something wrong (in the state of Texas).

[AprilHare]

One more addition: the city of Newcastle here in New South Wales has a similar population size (about 288,000) - and a simple search of the Yellow Pages finds 34 retail stores selling books.

[Ken Maltby]

The story is propaganda.

Google "Laredo bookstore" and "Laredo library"

Don't let MSNBC do your thinking for you.

Luck;
Ken

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by LS650

"That leaves Laredo, Texas, population of 250,000, one of the largest cities in the United States without a bookstore.

I find it rather difficult to believe that a town with a population of a quarter of a million is "one of the largest cities in the United States".

[Ken Maltby]

What I think might be of more interest to take away from the article, would be
how B&N is willing to close down a profitable store, so that they can close one
of the franchises they have acquired. What do you think that might mean for
Fictionwise and eReader?

The article mentions that B&N has plans to open one of their own named stores,
in Laredo.

Luck;
Ken

[Joebill]

I grew up in Texas, and encountered people in that small town that told me not to go to high school. Some were relatives. They told me it was a waste of time. I did anyway, went to university as well.

I did a web search on that town about 5 years ago. They went from just the library and a news stand to that plus 2 used book stores. Less than 10,000 people.

A nearby city of 30,000 had a public library, news stand and a book store.

But, there is much cross border violence in the Laredo area. That might be a reason the book store closed.

[Connallmac]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

The story is propaganda.

Google "Laredo bookstore" and "Laredo library"

Don't let MSNBC do your thinking for you.

Luck;
Ken

Are you willing to believe the Wall Street Journal?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126117299083897611.html

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I find it rather difficult to believe that a town with a population of a quarter of a million is "one of the largest cities in the United States".

It isn't. But the story said it was one of the largest without a bookstore.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

It isn't. But the story said it was one of the largest without a bookstore.

Thank you - now I re-read it I see what you mean. I associated "city of 250,000" with the first part of the sentence, rather than the end of it. On re-reading it, you are of course absolutely right.

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

The story is propaganda.

Google "Laredo bookstore" and "Laredo library"

Don't let MSNBC do your thinking for you.

Luck;
Ken

I Googled "Laredo bookstore" and I see only two places that could be general bookstores there: B. Dalton, which is no longer open there according to their main website, and Barnes and Noble, which the article says is closing. The other Google hits are gospel stores, a comics bookstore, a used bookstore, and a porno shop. You might be just a bit quick on pulling the 'propaganda' trigger.